Summary of key issues with the current District Plan

As a result of the review of current policies and rules specific to earthworks, we’ve identified the following issues with the current District Plan:

• the volume-related thresholds for earthworks activities, including the control of such activities on a ‘per project’ basis;
• gaps in the rules relating to the stockpiling of material, and the remediation of land that has been subject to earthworks;
• the absence of a reference to the potential cultural effects of soil disturbance from general earthworks activities;
• the absence of a reference to the National Environmental Standard for Assessing and Managing Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health (NESCS) for the control of earthworks activities on contaminated land; and
• the need to control earthworks associated with subdivision activities through separate permitted activity standards.