Selwyn District Plan Review

Selwyn is a district with a rich and diverse environment which is also exposed to a number of natural hazards.

The Proposed Selwyn District Plan - currently out for public consultation - maps natural hazards areas across Selwyn, based on the latest data and to meet regulatory requirements.

“It’s important that we know what natural hazards we face in the district, so that we can make informed decisions on future property, land and infrastructure development”, says Council Planner Rachael Carruthers. She’s one of the team of planners who has developed the Proposed District Plan.

All councils in New Zealand are required to identify and manage areas at risk from natural hazards.

“All councils in Canterbury must assess the risks from more extreme weather events than what the current District Plan does. We also need to take into account climate change effects over the next 100 years, such as increased frequency and intensity of rainstorms”, says Rachael.

“As a result we have now identified around 80 percent of properties in the district as being at risk of flooding that would potentially be at least five centimetres deep during a 200-year flood event.”

In addition to providing landowners with the information where on their property flooding risk exists, the Proposed Plan includes rules on how this risk should be managed.

“We’re proposing to manage flood risk with similar restrictions to what’s in the current District Plan.”

“For most properties the proposed changes won’t likely make much of a difference. The changes will only affect those who want to do something new on their land, such as build a new house or subdivide,” Rachael says.

The key proposed change is for the district-wide minimum building floor height to increase to 300 mm above a 200-year flood level event (instead of the current requirement of 300 mm above a 50-year flood level event).

For more information on the flooding hazard, check out the Council’s video with Robert Love, Strategy and Policy Team Leader. Make sure you have your say on the Proposed District Plan by 5pm Friday 11 December.

People in Selwyn can now read and have their say on the Proposed District Plan. The Proposed Selwyn District Plan is open for consultation until 5pm on Friday 11 December.

Selwyn Mayor Sam Broughton says the new plan will make huge strides in preparing the district for the future.

“This is an important move for Selwyn. The District Plan matters, because it impacts all our lives and how we live, work and play in the district. Most of the current plan has been in operation since 2008. Since then we’ve seen massive changes and we need a new plan that is not only up to date with the new world we live in, but ready to take us through the next decade.”

The District Plan – which sets the rules for what people can do on their properties and what requires resource consent – must be reviewed every 10 years.

The new plan aims to simplify and make it easier for residents to find out the rules. It also changes the focus from the effects of landowners’ actions on others, to what type of activities people can undertake.

Among the changes proposed, the plan focuses residential development in and around our existing townships. It allows more housing types in urban areas and removes the requirement that only family members can live in a family flat.

It proposes reducing the density of houses allowed in part of the Outer Plains, to ensure land is retained for rural production, and tighter rules around businesses in residential and rural areas.

Daytime noise rules run from 7am to 10pm and sky glow rules reduce light pollution, in particular creating dark-sky zones in areas of the high country, along the coast and around the West Melton Observatory.

You can read the summary consultation document Because it matters or search your address in the Proposed ePlan and see how the rules affect your property.

Council planning staff will also be holding drop-in sessions around the district in coming weeks to answer questions.