District-wide matter: Airfields, airstrips and helicopter landing pads

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District Plan Review consultation now closed.

Initial public consultation on key draft changes to the current Selwyn District Plan closed on Monday 8 October 2018. Thank you to everyone who let us know what they thought of the review so far.

What’s next?

Following this initial public consultation on the District Plan Review, the Council will consider all feedback and start developing detailed provisions for the Proposed District Plan. Please note that a summary report on the initial public consultation will be made available on Your Say Selwyn website at www.selwyn.govt.nz/districtplanreview.

It’s expected the Proposed District Plan will be

District Plan Review consultation now closed.

Initial public consultation on key draft changes to the current Selwyn District Plan closed on Monday 8 October 2018. Thank you to everyone who let us know what they thought of the review so far.

What’s next?

Following this initial public consultation on the District Plan Review, the Council will consider all feedback and start developing detailed provisions for the Proposed District Plan. Please note that a summary report on the initial public consultation will be made available on Your Say Selwyn website at www.selwyn.govt.nz/districtplanreview.

It’s expected the Proposed District Plan will be notified in early 2020 for formal public consultation. The longer timeframe is due to the local government elections at the end of 2019 and ensuring the newly elected Council endorses the Proposed District Plan before it gets notified.


We want to know what you think about the draft changes to the current District Plan's rules affecting airfields, airstrips and helicopter landing pads. These draft changes have been endorsed by the Selwyn District Council for further development as part of its District Plan Review.

How can I have a say?

To give us your feedback on the draft changes to, you can:

There will be many consultation opportunities for feedback at different stages of the District Plan Review and this is the first such opportunity. It’s expected that the new District Plan will be notified in early 2020 and be fully in place, subject to any Environment Court appeals, in March 2022.

Background

Airfields in the current District Plan

There are currently two well established airfields in the District: the West Melton Aerodrome, located on land leased from Environment Canterbury and operated by the Canterbury Aero Club, and the Springfield Aerodrome, owned by a charitable trust and operated by the Canterbury Gliding Club by way of a perpetual lease. There are also a number of rural airstrips used for farming, and established helicopter operations.

In the Rural Zone airfields, rural airstrips and helicopter landing pads don’t require a resource consent as long as they meet certain rules, for example in relation to noise and aircraft movement limits. There is also a restriction on number of flights (28 per week) which airstrips or helipads located within one kilometre of the nearest boundary of any residential zone have to comply with. However, an exception to this rule allows an unlimited number of flights on any five days in a six-month period.

Certain aircraft movements in the rural zones associated with emergency, fire control, law enforcement, seasonal farming work, military aircraft and Porters Ski and Recreation Area are automatically a permitted activity with no consideration of noise effects or flight frequency.


Have a question about airfields, rural airstrips and helicopter pads in the Rural Zone and can't find the answer? We would like to hear from you.


  • Share Are you planning on holding any meetings in the Selwyn area specifically to address the proposals around the use of airstrips? Remember that the only two airfields in the area, West Melton and Springfield are not available for general use and therefore many people have their own strips out of necessity. Cheers Tony on Facebook Share Are you planning on holding any meetings in the Selwyn area specifically to address the proposals around the use of airstrips? Remember that the only two airfields in the area, West Melton and Springfield are not available for general use and therefore many people have their own strips out of necessity. Cheers Tony on Twitter Share Are you planning on holding any meetings in the Selwyn area specifically to address the proposals around the use of airstrips? Remember that the only two airfields in the area, West Melton and Springfield are not available for general use and therefore many people have their own strips out of necessity. Cheers Tony on Linkedin Email Are you planning on holding any meetings in the Selwyn area specifically to address the proposals around the use of airstrips? Remember that the only two airfields in the area, West Melton and Springfield are not available for general use and therefore many people have their own strips out of necessity. Cheers Tony link

    Are you planning on holding any meetings in the Selwyn area specifically to address the proposals around the use of airstrips? Remember that the only two airfields in the area, West Melton and Springfield are not available for general use and therefore many people have their own strips out of necessity. Cheers Tony

    TBI729 asked about 6 years ago

    Hi,

    We have been holding drop-in sessions around the district to help with queries on any of the topics that are out for consultation. Our District Plan Review team will be out again at the upcoming CultureFest in Lincoln so you could come and speak to one of them then. In the meantime, let us know if you have any specific query and we'd be happy to respond via this online forum.

    Kind regards,

    Selwyn District Plan Review team