Latest news with #PlanChange29
1News
14 hours ago
- Politics
- 1News
'Intensification on steroids': Nelson housing plan rejected
Nelson's ability to provide enough homes over the next 30 years is now uncertain after the city council's housing density plans were largely rejected. For almost two years, Nelson City Council has been working on Plan Change 29 – a controversial overhaul of its planning rules to make it easier to build high-density housing across the city. But many of the council's goals have since fallen over after the hearing panel that oversaw the process recommended that most of the plan change's proposals be rejected. Nelson's elected members accepted the panel's recommendation today which saw many elements of the plan formally scrapped. Opposition to the plan was widespread and vocal as submitters sought to protect their sunlight access, and councillors' commentaries often declared the result a win for residents. ADVERTISEMENT Mayor Nick Smith said the council had overreached by proposing "intensification on steroids". (Source: LDR / Max Frethey) Mayor Nick Smith described the plan as 'intensification on steroids' and said the council needed to learn from the 'strong kickback' from the public and engage earlier with the community in the future. Included in the scrapped measures were residential zones and overlays that would have allowed buildings of up to six storeys to be built on some sites without a resource consent. The changes that weren't rejected will focus intensification in the inner city and city fringe, and most natural hazard provisions were also kept. Councillor Pete Rainey said the changes for the central city were a 'really positive step in the right direction' but added that 'the issues facing the city are not going to go away. We need to do something about them'. More than 1200 households in need of affordable housing – survey The council's original proposal was deeply unpopular, with hundreds gathering to oppose the plan in September 2023. (Source: LDR / Max Frethey) ADVERTISEMENT A recent Nelson Tasman Housing Trust survey showed that 1222 households in the region were currently in need of affordable housing. Under the council's revised planning rules which have now largely been rejected, the number of commercially feasible dwellings over the next 30 years was expected to climb by 23,450 for attached homes and 6825 for detached dwellings. But the current planning rules only enabled 6500 attached and 3175 detached dwellings over the same period. Now that most of the new rules have been rejected, council staff were unsure how many extra dwellings would be feasible. Even though the changes for the inner city and city fringe were approved, they're only expected to provide 'relatively modest' boost for capacity. Housing demand was still expected to be met until 2027, but council staff were uncertain if the limited changes agreed to today would be able to meet Nelson's housing need over the next 30 years. The council had originally proposed the planning changes to adequately cater for growth as required by the 2020 National Policy Statement on Urban Development. ADVERTISEMENT However, the hearing panel's recommendation to reject large parts of the council's plan change essentially boiled down to the proposal not adequately considering urban form and amenity value provisions that were outlined in the council's own 1997 regional policy statement. That determination from the panel would be embarrassing for the council as it had paused work on updating its regional policy statement in 2021, which had been drafted and would have likely allowed many of the intensification proposals to go ahead. The pause was attributed to ongoing uncertainty from central government about Resource Management Act reform. Not the end of intensification Deputy mayor Rohan O'Neill-Stevens said the city's intensification didn't end with the Plan Change 29 process. (Source: LDR / Max Frethey ) Several councillors said the fault lay with the elected members of the current and previous councils who pushed on with the process despite the uncertainty. Smith added that the process had shown the 'fundamental problem' of the Resource Management Act, which needed to be reformed. ADVERTISEMENT 'Despite hundreds of thousands of dollars in investment, and some of the very best experts in the RMA… we've been tripped up by provisions that date back to 1997.' But despite the hurdles, elected members were clear that today's rejection of these specific higher-density zones was not the end of intensification in Nelson. The region's future development strategy expects about 78% of Nelson's long-term growth to be accommodated by intensification. 'We need to engage strongly with our community to shape future work, whilst acknowledging that status quo is not a static option,' said deputy mayor Rohan O'Neill-Stevens. 'Together, we can find a way forward that we can all be proud of.' The decisions are expected to be formally notified to the public on Tuesday, starting a 30-working day period where appeals can be lodged to the Environment Court. Approved changes: ADVERTISEMENT Increased building heights and revised development standards for the inner city and city fringe to enable greater residential and commercial development Updated flood, fault, and liquefaction hazard overlays and associated rules New provisions allowing papakāinga development within the inner city and suburban commercial zones Amended provisions for the Manuka St hospital site to provide opportunities to enable the on-going operation of the facility Rezoning of the St Vincent and Vanguard St industrial area from industrial to inner city fringe to allow more diverse and intensive land uses in this key location. Rejected changes: The general, medium, and high-density residential zones and their related rules for housing development Increased building heights in suburban commercial areas Most heritage changes, including the removal of the Church Hill view shaft The state highway noise overlay The slope hazard overlays and its associated rules. Local Democracy Reporting is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
Scoop
a day ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Nelson City Council Notifies Plan Change 29 – Housing And Hazards Decisions
Press Release – Nelson City Council Council delegated the responsibility to hear and decide on submissions to an independent hearing panel which then made recommendations to Council on planning provisions. Nelson City Council has reached a significant milestone in the city's development planning, following recommended changes from an independent hearing panel. Elected members voted in favour of notifying decisions on Plan Change 29 (PC29) submissions at a full Council meeting held on Thursday, 5 June 2025, a key decision aimed at facilitating more housing development and to provide for a well-functioning urban environment. Council delegated the responsibility to hear and decide on submissions to an independent hearing panel which then made recommendations to Council on planning provisions. The panel recently provided the Council with their reports, which recommended a number of changes that reflecte their decisions on submissions. Councillors considered the hearing panel's recommendations, which reflected a balance between enabling growth in strategic locations (especially the city centre and fringe) and responding to community concerns about enabling widespread residential intensification, heritage protection, and hazard management. The panel ultimately recommended targeted city centre and fringe intensification that aligns with Council's city centre revitalisation goals. How Councillors Voted: After thorough discussion and consideration of public submissions, elected members voted as follows: For: Councillor Sanson, Councillor Skinner, Deputy Mayor O'Neill-Stevens, Mayor Nick Smith, Councillor Stallard, Councillor Rollo, Councillor Rainey, Councillor Hodgson, Councillor Brand, Councillor Anderson, Councillor Paki Paki, Against: Councillor Benge, Councillor Courtney Mayor Nick Smith welcomed the decision. 'These changes support our plans to revitalise the central city by better enabling development to a greater height and over a wider area. They also improve our management of natural hazards. The intensification proposals in Nelson's suburban areas were too ambitious and were rightly declined in response to public submissions. 'Nelson does need to provide for more choices in housing such as townhouses and apartments and make development easier, but we also need to take our community with us.' Key approved changes: Increased building heights and revised development standards within the Inner-City Centre and Fringe zones, enabling greater residential and commercial development Updates to flood, fault, and liquefaction hazard overlays were also supported, along with new provisions allowing enabling Papakāinga development within the Inner City and Suburban Commercial Zones Amended provisions for the Manuka St hospital site, providing opportunities to enable the on-going operation of the hospital The rezoning of the St Vincent and Vanguard Street industrial area from Industrial to Inner City Fringe, opening the door to more diverse and intensive land uses in this key location. Key rejected changes: General, Medium, and High Density Residential Zones and related rules for residential housing development Increased building heights in suburban commercial areas Most of the proposed changes to heritage, state highway noise and slope hazard overlays. Next Steps: Council will publicly notify its decisions on PC29 and serve a copy of the public notice to all submitters and make its decision available for inspection. Submitters will have 30 working days from the date of service of the notice of decision to appeal the Council's decision on PC29 (on any part of the decision relevant to their submission) to the Environment Court. The Council will keep the community informed as the process continues. Full details, and the six hearing panel reports, are available on Nelson City Council's Shape Nelson website.
Scoop
2 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Nelson City Council Notifies Plan Change 29 – Housing And Hazards Decisions
Nelson City Council has reached a significant milestone in the city's development planning, following recommended changes from an independent hearing panel. Elected members voted in favour of notifying decisions on Plan Change 29 (PC29) submissions at a full Council meeting held on Thursday, 5 June 2025, a key decision aimed at facilitating more housing development and to provide for a well-functioning urban environment. Council delegated the responsibility to hear and decide on submissions to an independent hearing panel which then made recommendations to Council on planning provisions. The panel recently provided the Council with their reports, which recommended a number of changes that reflecte their decisions on submissions. Councillors considered the hearing panel's recommendations, which reflected a balance between enabling growth in strategic locations (especially the city centre and fringe) and responding to community concerns about enabling widespread residential intensification, heritage protection, and hazard management. The panel ultimately recommended targeted city centre and fringe intensification that aligns with Council's city centre revitalisation goals. How Councillors Voted: After thorough discussion and consideration of public submissions, elected members voted as follows: For: Councillor Sanson, Councillor Skinner, Deputy Mayor O'Neill-Stevens, Mayor Nick Smith, Councillor Stallard, Councillor Rollo, Councillor Rainey, Councillor Hodgson, Councillor Brand, Councillor Anderson, Councillor Paki Paki, Against: Councillor Benge, Councillor Courtney Mayor Nick Smith welcomed the decision. 'These changes support our plans to revitalise the central city by better enabling development to a greater height and over a wider area. They also improve our management of natural hazards. The intensification proposals in Nelson's suburban areas were too ambitious and were rightly declined in response to public submissions. 'Nelson does need to provide for more choices in housing such as townhouses and apartments and make development easier, but we also need to take our community with us.' Key approved changes: Increased building heights and revised development standards within the Inner-City Centre and Fringe zones, enabling greater residential and commercial development Updates to flood, fault, and liquefaction hazard overlays were also supported, along with new provisions allowing enabling Papakāinga development within the Inner City and Suburban Commercial Zones Amended provisions for the Manuka St hospital site, providing opportunities to enable the on-going operation of the hospital The rezoning of the St Vincent and Vanguard Street industrial area from Industrial to Inner City Fringe, opening the door to more diverse and intensive land uses in this key location. Key rejected changes: General, Medium, and High Density Residential Zones and related rules for residential housing development Increased building heights in suburban commercial areas Most of the proposed changes to heritage, state highway noise and slope hazard overlays. Next Steps: Council will publicly notify its decisions on PC29 and serve a copy of the public notice to all submitters and make its decision available for inspection. Submitters will have 30 working days from the date of service of the notice of decision to appeal the Council's decision on PC29 (on any part of the decision relevant to their submission) to the Environment Court. The Council will keep the community informed as the process continues. Full details, and the six hearing panel reports, are available on Nelson City Council's Shape Nelson website.
Scoop
30-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Elected Members To Decide On ‘A Way Forward' For Plan Change 29
Press Release – Nelson City Council The hearing panel has listened carefully to these submitters and outlined a way forward for Plan Change 29 that addresses their concerns while still paving a way for some of the key aims of the Plan Change. Nelson City Council will decide the next steps for Plan Change 29 (PC29) in a Council meeting on 5 June after receiving reports from the Independent Hearing Panel. After considering numerous public submissions and engaging in thorough deliberations since November 2024, the Panel has recommended approving some of the Plan Change provisions. Group Manager Environmental Management Mandy Bishop says many of the submissions received expressed concern about enabling increased density in residential zones and changes to rules around heritage, state highway noise and slope hazards. 'The hearing panel has listened carefully to these submitters and outlined a way forward for Plan Change 29 that addresses their concerns while still paving a way for some of the key aims of the Plan Change.' Recommended changes: Increased building heights and revised development standards within the Inner City Centre and Fringe zones, enabling greater residential and commercial development Updates to flood, fault, and liquefaction hazard overlays were also supported, along with new provisions allowing enabling Papakāinga development within the Inner City and Suburban Commercial Zones Amended provisions for the Manuka St hospital site, providing opportunities to enable the on-going operation of the hospital. The rezoning of the St Vincent and Vanguard Street industrial area from Industrial to Inner City Fringe, opening the door to more diverse and intensive land uses in this key location The panel did not support: General, Medium, and High Density Residential Zones and related rules for residential housing development Increased building heights in suburban commercial areas Most of the proposed changes to heritage, state highway noise and slope hazard overlays 'If adopted it will enable greater housing intensification and a more flexible use of land in areas close to the city centre,' says Mandy. 'The Independent Hearing Panel recommendations align with Council's goal to revitalise the city centre and would enable higher density development to start in city and fringe zones, a phased approach many submitters supported.' What is PC29? PC29 is a proposal to amend the Nelson Resource Management Plan (NRMP) to better support housing growth and urban development. Designed in response to ongoing housing pressures and in line with central government's National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD), PC29 aimed to introduce greater flexibility in residential and commercial planning provisions across the city. PC29 sought to enable more housing in existing urban areas, supporting compact and efficient development, and responding to local needs identified in the Nelson Tasman Future Development Strategy (FDS) and Te Ara ō Whakatū – City Centre Spatial Plan. The proposal included new residential zoning, increased building heights, revised rules for Papakāinga and updates to infrastructure and natural hazard overlays. Nelson City elected members have now received the Hearing Panel's reports detailing their decisions on submissions and recommended changes to current planning provisions. They will decide the next steps at a full meeting of Council on 5 June. For more information about proceedings next week, please refer to the Council report. For more information on Plan Change 29, including the full recommendations and maps, visit the Shape Nelson
Scoop
30-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Elected Members To Decide On ‘A Way Forward' For Plan Change 29
Nelson City Council will decide the next steps for Plan Change 29 (PC29) in a Council meeting on 5 June after receiving reports from the Independent Hearing Panel. After considering numerous public submissions and engaging in thorough deliberations since November 2024, the Panel has recommended approving some of the Plan Change provisions. Group Manager Environmental Management Mandy Bishop says many of the submissions received expressed concern about enabling increased density in residential zones and changes to rules around heritage, state highway noise and slope hazards. 'The hearing panel has listened carefully to these submitters and outlined a way forward for Plan Change 29 that addresses their concerns while still paving a way for some of the key aims of the Plan Change.' Recommended changes: Increased building heights and revised development standards within the Inner City Centre and Fringe zones, enabling greater residential and commercial development Updates to flood, fault, and liquefaction hazard overlays were also supported, along with new provisions allowing enabling Papakāinga development within the Inner City and Suburban Commercial Zones Amended provisions for the Manuka St hospital site, providing opportunities to enable the on-going operation of the hospital. The rezoning of the St Vincent and Vanguard Street industrial area from Industrial to Inner City Fringe, opening the door to more diverse and intensive land uses in this key location Advertisement - scroll to continue reading The panel did not support: General, Medium, and High Density Residential Zones and related rules for residential housing development Increased building heights in suburban commercial areas Most of the proposed changes to heritage, state highway noise and slope hazard overlays 'If adopted it will enable greater housing intensification and a more flexible use of land in areas close to the city centre,' says Mandy. 'The Independent Hearing Panel recommendations align with Council's goal to revitalise the city centre and would enable higher density development to start in city and fringe zones, a phased approach many submitters supported.' What is PC29? PC29 is a proposal to amend the Nelson Resource Management Plan (NRMP) to better support housing growth and urban development. Designed in response to ongoing housing pressures and in line with central government's National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD), PC29 aimed to introduce greater flexibility in residential and commercial planning provisions across the city. PC29 sought to enable more housing in existing urban areas, supporting compact and efficient development, and responding to local needs identified in the Nelson Tasman Future Development Strategy (FDS) and Te Ara ō Whakatū – City Centre Spatial Plan. The proposal included new residential zoning, increased building heights, revised rules for Papakāinga and updates to infrastructure and natural hazard overlays. Nelson City elected members have now received the Hearing Panel's reports detailing their decisions on submissions and recommended changes to current planning provisions. They will decide the next steps at a full meeting of Council on 5 June. For more information about proceedings next week, please refer to the Council report. For more information on Plan Change 29, including the full recommendations and maps, visit the Shape Nelson
