Plan Change 12 consultation opens

A proposed private plan change to rezone and bring forward a new development area in Te Awamutu is now open for consultation.

Waipā District Council is consulting on Plan Change 12 to rezone the T2 growth cell - a ‘deferred residential zone’ northwest of Te Awamutu – to a ‘residential zone’, which will enable residential development to begin earlier.

In addition to rezoning the 41ha of rural land at 10 Frontier Road, the proposed private plan change also seeks to enable a retirement village to be built covering 9.5ha, with more housing on the remainder.

Council’s district growth and regulatory group manager, Wayne Allan, said Plan Change 12 also proposes a structure plan to be included in the Waipā District Plan, which would allow the southern half to start from 2021, with the latter staged for development after 2035.

“T2 is currently deferred for any development beyond 2035 in the district’s growth strategy, Waipā 2050, however with our aging and rapidly growing population, the need to provide sufficient accommodation is appropriate,” he said.

“In addition with the uplifting of this zone, we will need to amend the rules to allow for the retirement village activities. We are seeking submissions from the public on this proposal starting Friday 30 October.”

Submissions are open until 5pm, Friday 27 November 2020 and can be made at the Te Awamutu or Cambridge council offices, or online at the council website. More information can be found at waipadc.govt.nz/planchange12.