Rural matter: Intensive farming

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.