Designations

What are designations?

A Notice of Requirement is the term for an application made by a Requiring Authority under the RMA to create a new Designation (a form of 'spot zoning') over land or to alter an existing Designation. It is a mechanism used by Ministers of the Crown, local authorities and network utility operators approved as requiring authorities under the RMA to obtain planning authorisation and protect land for public works. Requiring authorities can only designate land where they are financially responsible for the project, work or operation on the designated land. A designation enables a requiring authority to undertake works in the designated area without the need for resource consent under the District Plan, unless works will be undertaken that are outside the scope of the designation. However, they may still need to obtain resource consents from the Greater Wellington Regional Council.

A Notice of Requirement has immediate interim effect when it is notified, meaning that no person may do anything that would prevent or hinder the public work, project, or work to which the designation relates unless the person has the prior written consent of the requiring authority. 

Once the Requiring Authority accepts the local authority's recommendation on the Notice of Requirement (if the recommendation is approval) it becomes a new Designation or the existing Designation is altered in accordance with what the Requiring Authority has accepted.


Applications for Notices of Requirement to Designate Land

Below are the applications for new designations:


Rollover Designation Information

Below is information about designations to be rolled over from the Operative District Plan to the Proposed District Plan: