Business matter: Urban design for business and adjacent areas

The Council’s District Plan Committee has endorsed the below draft changes for further development, which we’re now consulting on.

In relation to business zones framework:

• Split the current business section of the District Plan into separate commercial and industrial chapters as per the draft National Planning Standards, with the added possibility of having a special purpose zone chapter, which will include the rules for Lincoln University/Hub (Blinc Innovation), as a research, education and technology zone and potentially the inland ports.
• Renaming business zones to align with the new National Planning Standards and to reflect the unique activities that take place across our district:

1. Town Centre Zone which covers key activity centres in Rolleston, Lincoln, Leeston and Darfield (currently B1).
2. Local Commercial Zone which covers all other town centres with commercial zoning (currently B1, including B1A at Castle Hill).
3. Neighbourhood Commercial Zone which covers the smaller centres like Southpoint in Faringdon and the new shops in Rosemerryn (currently residential zone but with B1 rules allowed by consent notice).
4. Large format retail zone – covers land subject to Resource Consent for such an activity in iPort.
5. Light Industrial, Industrial and/or Heavy Industrial Zones which replace current B2, B2A and B2B zones across the district.
6. Special Purpose Zone: Research, Education and Technology Zone which replaces B3 at Lincoln.
7. Special Purpose Zone: Port Zones.

In relation to business and non-business land boundary

• Simplify rules for site coverage and maximum building height to ensure consistency across all business zones and to make it easier for plan users to understand what’s required.
• Amend the following rules which commercial businesses (in current B1 Zone) wouldhave to meet:
• a minimum three-metre building setback when opposite residential zones (as opposed to currently not having a setback in most of B1 zones);
• further landscaping required between the building and road;
• the building needing to be located at the front of the site (rather than car parking being at the front of the site),with the road-facing façade having to include windows.
• Amend the following rules which industrial businesses (in current B2 Zone) would have to meet:
• a minimum three-metre building setback when opposite residential zones (as opposed to current two-metre setback);
• the space between the building and the road would need to be landscaped with a minimum of one tree per 10m of frontage when opposite residential zones;
• a minimum two-metre deep landscape strip along internal boundaries adjoining rural and residential zones.
• further landscaping required next to residential or rural zone boundary;
• buildings to be set back at least three metres from internal boundaries adjoining residential zones.
• Consider whether trade and yard-based retailers should still be permitted within the commercial zone (currently B1) or let them be permitted only in industrial zones (currently B2).

In relation to urban design in town centres with commercial zones

• Look at car parking-related rules to better manage car parking within town centres (this need to be considered alongside the new car parking strategy which is currently being developed and is expected to be issued for consultation in September 2018).
• Keep the controlled activity status for new business developments within key activity centres, ie town centres and business zones, but introduce additional standards that ensure minimum urban design is addressed, otherwise it will become a restricted discretionary activity.
• Develop a definition for ‘public space’ to ensure such a space is publicly owned and managed.

As a result of the review of current policies and rules, we’ve identified the below issues with the current District Plan.

In relation to business zones framework

• No clear hierarchy for different business zones which results in various business zones not having a clear purpose and function.
• Not delivering on Selwyn 2031 key growth concept of achieving a self-sufficient Selwyn.
• Leakage of business activities into other zones, including commercial activities into industrial zones. This potentially undermines the viability and vibrancy of town centres and creates reverse sensitivity issues.

In relation to business and non-business land boundary

• Ineffectiveness of certain rules which can result in developments that do not meet the intent of the rule. For example, buildings having active frontages (ie entrances) located behind car parking areas rather than in front, and sites being dominated by car parks;
• Lack of a clear definition of ‘public space’;
• Lack of principles and guidance on how different land uses (residential area next to a commercial area) can co-exist and benefit from each other; and
• Commercial buildings adversely affecting residential properties by blocking their views and outlook.