VIDEO - End of hearings mark District Plan milestone

In-depth planning for how the Far North grows and develops passed a critical milestone last week with the conclusion of public hearings on the Proposed District Plan.

The final of 20 hearings was held at the Tahuaroa Function Centre at Waitangi Treaty Grounds on Thursday 6 November ending an 18-month public feedback process. To help mark the planning milestone, Kahika Moko Tepania addressed the hearings panel, which is made up of independent commissioners and elected members. He was supported by current and former councillors, council CEO Guy Holroyd, and key staff involved in the process.

A review of the current District Plan – the document that guides how land can be used, developed and subdivided, and affects all landowners and residents in the Far North – was launched in 2016. That review resulted in a Proposed District Plan (PDP) being formally notified in 2022.

Landowners, the wider community, tangata whenua and stakeholders were then asked to provide feedback on the PDP, which resulted in 605 submissions, raising 8725 original submission points. Another 589 ‘further submissions’ were subsequently lodged resulting in another 26,088 submission points. In all, more than 34,000 submission points were raised, each requiring a response.

Since May 2024, hearings have been held at 13 venues across the district including at several marae, with 295 submitters appearing either in person or remotely.

Hearing panel chair Robert Scott explained that while the public process has now concluded, the panel still has a lot of work to do. “As a panel, we must deliver 20 recommendation reports to councillors. So, between now and March 31 we will be very, very busy evaluating all the evidence and submissions received and putting those into recommendation reports for the council to consider.”

Kahika Tepania acknowledged there had been challenges for the Proposed District Plan but said finishing the hearings was a significant milestone. “To the hundreds of submitters who submitted thousands of submission points on this journey together, thank you so much for participating. Your voice is going to be heard and will influence what our final District Plan looks like.”

The final stage of the 10-year council-led process will commence in June 2026 when the council gives notice of its decisions on the Proposed District Plan. Submitters do have an option to appeal the council’s decisions to the Environment Court. The new District Plan will only become fully operative when all appeals have been resolved.

This will be final District Plan of its type. Following reforms to the Resource Management Act, planning will now follow a regional model. Check out the video below which celebrates the end of the hearings phase of the kaupapa.