Rural matter: Intensive farming

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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 intensive farming rules and policies in the current District Plan, which the Council has recently endorsed 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 intensive farming, you can:

  • participate in our survey or ask us a question
  • contact us directly via email districtplanreview@selwyn.govt.nz or call (03) 347-2800 and ask to be put through to the District Plan Review team.

There will be many consultation opportunities for feedback at different stages of the District Plan Review and this is the first of many such opportunities. 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

About intensive farming

Selwyn is home to a wide range of farming activities where livestock is commercially reared. Intensive farming in our district typically involves pork or poultry production, and in recent times dairy barns have also been established.

Our district has the highest number of pork producers in the country (although not the largest volume produced) as well as a significant number of poultry farms. There is also a trend towards free-range pig and poultry farming.

Review of intensive farming in the current District Plan

in the current District Plan, farming is usually considered intensive if:

  • the activity is for the commercial rearing of livestock; and
  • it isn’t dependent on the fertility of the soil.

At present, when someone wants to establish or expand an intensive farm they are required to obtain a resource consent from both Environment Canterbury and Selwyn District Council.









  • Summary of key issues with intensive farming-related rules

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    As a result of the review of current policies and rules specific to intensive farming, we’ve identified the following issues:

    • What is considered an intensive farming activity is currently not clearly defined, which makes consenting requirements ambiguous.
    • There is potentially duplication of process between the district and regional councils regarding air quality (dust and odour) assessments. This duplication also extends to compliance and monitoring of dust and odour discharges.
    • The main area of inconsistency is in regard to the assessment of free-range poultry activities. This activity is permitted by Environment Canterbury, but requires consent from Selwyn District Council.
    • If an intensive farm operator wants to establish a residential dwelling on their property, other rules notwithstanding, they are required to apply for a resource consent if the dwelling is located within 300 metres of the intensive farming operation, regardless of whether the operation is their own.






  • Key draft changes for the future District Plan

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

    • Introduce an amended definition for intensive farming so that it’s defined as a commercial activity which predominantly occurs indoors and where the stock density or nature of the activity doesn’t maintain ground cover.Ground cover will be assessed on a common sense basis.
    • Intensive farming excludes small scale home production of pigs in rural areas which involves no more than 25 weaned pigs or six sows.
    • Intensive farming becomes a permitted activity within the Proposed District Plan as long as the activity is within the Rural Zone and meets certain (yet to be established) permitted development standards. These standards could include building characteristics, supplying location details, noise, transport and lighting.
    • Intensive farming will still need an air discharge consent from Environment Canterbury to address any potential odour and dust effects, regardless of the activity becoming permitted under the Proposed District Plan.
    • Introduce a definition of extensive farming where the point of difference with intensive farming is that the stocking density is such that the ground cover is maintained.
    • Keep the 300-metre reverse sensitivity setback between a new residential development and an existing intensive farming activity except if the dwelling is located on the same site as the intensive farm.