The District Plan is the rulebook for how land can be used. It applies to every property in the city, and provides the blueprint for how Porirua will grow. It also sets out how we will look after the things in our city that we value. We therefore encourage you to take this opportunity to help shape Porirua’s future.
The Proposed District Plan (PDP) was notified on 28 August 2020 (use Google Chrome for best results)
The Government has directed all councils to change their district plans to enable 3-storey (medium density) houses in all residential areas, and to identify parts of the city where even taller (high density) buildings can be built. We’ve done this by notifying Variation 1 to the Proposed District Plan and Plan Change 19 to the Operative District Plan on 11 August 2022.
You can view these here:
The final Hearing Stream 7 was held between Monday 13 March and Wednesday 22 March 2023.
The Independent Hearings Panel is now considering all submissions and evidence as part of their deliberations. Their report is expected in the latter half of 2023.
More information, including copies and summaries of all submissions, is available on our Hearings Portal.
Council lodged an application with the Minister for the Environment for an extension of time (until 20 August 2023) to issue a decision on the Proposed Porirua District Plan.
The reasons for this requested extension include:
The Minister for the Environment wrote to Council granting this extension. The extension was publicly notified on 20 October 2022 (see official public notice).
The Medium Density Residential Standards in Part 2 of Schedule 3A to the RMA have immediate legal effect in the Medium Density Residential Zone and High Density Residential Zone. The exception to this is on sites that are subject to a qualifying matter, or are located in a new residential zone.
To assist plan users, Council has prepared the following guidance which applies from 11 August 2022 until decisions are notified in 2023: Transitional Guidance on the Medium Density Residential Standards (MDRS)
The Proposed District Plan is a complex document and we would welcome the opportunity to help you understand it. If you would like to talk to a member of our friendly planning team please email or call us on: dpreview@pcc.govt.nz or call 04 237 5089.
