Last chance to submit on Proposed District Plan

The last chance to make a submission on the Proposed Far North District Plan opens today (Monday 7 August) and runs for 20 working days. This is the next stage in a review of the District Plan to be undertaken by the council.

The District Plan is the set of rules that control where you can undertake certain activities, and how land can be used, developed and subdivided – it affects all landowners and residents in the Far North.

In July last year, the council proposed a new District Plan (Proposed District Plan) and asked landowners, the wider community, tangata whenua and stakeholders to provide their feedback. The Proposed Far North District Plan received 580 submissions, resulting in more than 8,500 submission points. Council planners have now prepared a summary of those submissions.

The next stage in the review of the Proposed District Plan is a further submission period. Further submissions allow people the opportunity to either support or oppose the original submissions made last year. This is not an opportunity to raise new points.

The further submission process can be complex, so a ‘Friend of the further submitter’ service is being offered to assist those wanting to provide a further submission. The Friend of the submitter is an independent planning consultant who can assist submitters understand the process and to make a further submission. There is no cost for this service.  To use the Friend of the submitter service, email pdp@fndc.govt.nz or call 0800 920 029 and ask for the District Planning Team. 

When submitters are ready to make a further submission, they can use an online submission tool called Spoken. This allows them to search for the submission they want to comment on by using keyword and filter search tools. They can also lodge a further submission from within Spoken.

To find out more, go to our Proposed District Plan webpage and click the ‘What's this about tab’ at the top of the page for information about the further submission process, how to access the summary of submissions, as well as links to make a further submission. Printed copies of the summary of submissions and the original submissions can be viewed at council services centres in Kaikohe, Kerikeri or Kaitāia. 

Making a submission provides an opportunity to participate in hearings and to potentially appeal any council decisions.

Key facts

• Further submissions open on Monday 7 August and close on Monday 4 September at 5pm.
• Further submissions can only support or oppose submissions already made.
• Further submissions are open for 20 working days (extended from the required 10 working days).
• A public notice about the further submission process is available here.