Far North District Plan
The Far North District Council is consulting on the proposed district plan.
The District Plan is a set of rules that manage where activities can take place and how land can be used, developed and subdivided. It determines what activities you can do as of right (permitted activities) and what activities you or your neighbour will need a resource consent for. Including boundary setback rules and earthworks limitations, which are important to get right to appropriately allow for new development/plantings.
Of specific interest to horticulture are provisions that recognise highly productive land through zoning that will provide for primary production as well as land designated for post-harvest/processing.
The plan also introduces mapping overlays that seek to protect the cultural, heritage and natural environment attributes of the district. These natural landscapes, heritage sites, coastal environment zones and new treaty settlement overlays are important to understand as these will determine where and what rural production activities remain as a permitted activity.
The industry is hoping to provide feedback direct from growers as a submission from Horticulture New Zealand is developed.
You can review the proposed plan here and search for your own address at this link to better understand what zoning and proposed planning arrangements apply to your property.
You can make your own submission here where the Council is providing a free ‘friend of a submitter’ service via an independent planning consultant who can assist you to understand the planning process and help you make an effective submission.
Consultation closes Friday 21 October, contact brad.siebert@nzavocado.co.nz for more information or to provide feedback. To contact the council directly email pdp@fndc.govt.nz or phone 0800 920 029 and ask for the District Planning Team.
These plans are only reviewed every 10 years so it is critical we get feedback from growers to ensure avocado production in the far north can operate efficiently.
