Managing coastal hazards in the current District Plan

The current District Plan identifies and manages an area outlined on the planning map as Coastal Hazard 1 line for Selwyn District. Any development on land between the line and the sea requires a resource consent to enable an assessment of natural hazard risk.

At Rakaia Huts, building any new dwelling or other principal building, and working on an existing dwelling on the lower river terrace is a non-complying activity. Non-complying activity status is a way for a council to signal that when processing a resource consent for an activity, it will be subject to a greater degree of scrutiny. In particular the applicant must establish that the adverse effects of the activity on the environment will be minor or that the activity will not be contrary to the objectives of the relevant plan or proposed plan.

Key issues with the current District Plan

  • The current mapped area at risk from coastal hazards is over 10 years old and pre-dates the national requirements, including taking into account the effects of climate change and future sea level rise scenarios.
  • The current District Plan doesn’t manage coastal inundation other than at Rakaia Huts, and tsunami risk is not addressed at all.

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