Key draft changes for the future District Plan

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

• Integrated Transport Assessments (ITAs) are required as part of the resource consent process for certain land developments and will be based on the scale of the development. This will give the Council confidence that activities that are likely to put pressure on the wider transport network are assessed during the consent process and appropriate contributions are made to any road network upgrades.
• The minimum width of smaller roads (‘Local Minor’ and ‘Local Intermediate’), such as cul de sacs and streets serving more intensive housing areas, is to be reviewed. The intention is to increase the permitted width to allow for wider grass berms, footpaths on both sides of the road and to ensure sufficient space for car parking, vehicle manoeuvring (including emergency service and refuse collection vehicles) and wheelie bins.
• The width of vehicle crossings ie section of driveway at the front of a property, on smaller roads (‘Local Minor’ and ‘Local Intermediate’) is reduced from a maximum width of 6 metres (m) to 3.5 m where the roadside berm is less than 15 m wide.
• Require footpaths on both sides of all smaller roads (‘Local Minor’ and ‘Local Intermediate’) where there is enough space to promote walking, cycling and access to public transport Single-sided footpaths would need to be assessed through the resource consent process.
• Require subdivision within intensive housing areas to provide walkable blocks with a maximum 800 m perimeter (rather than the current 1,000 m) to promote walking, cycling and access to public transport.
• Retain the existing subdivision rules for managing the design of cul de sacs, but introduce a rule that new cul de sacs need to have ‘line of sight’ to adjoining streets to promote well-connected streets and improve pedestrian safety.
• Encourage cycling by increasing the number, and improve the location and design, of cycle parking spaces in town centres.
• Include objectives and policies that support public transport by referencing the need for Council to consider the establishment of specific facilities in the district, including Park N’ Ride facilities.