Plan Change 19 - Cambridge Commercial Zone: Carter's Flat
Give me the highlights
- Waipā District Council has reviewed the zoning of two commercial areas in Cambridge – Carter's Flat and Cook St/Shakespeare St. An Issues and Options report was prepared setting out the various options. This report also looked at the Aotearoa Park Industrial Zone in Cambridge but recommended no changes.
- The Carter's Flat area is partly zoned Commercial and partly Deferred Commercial. This is to change the Deferred Commercial Zone to Commercial Zone to enable more commercial activities in that part of Carter's Flat. In addition, Council has prepared a Local Area Plan for Carter's Flat. This sets out an overall urban design vision for this area, include some urban design guidelines, and implements the Cambridge Town Concept Plan.
- The Cook St/Shakespeare St area is currently zoned Commercial. Prior to the District Plan review that began in 2010, the area was General Zone. The area was rezoned to Industrial when the Proposed District Plan was notified in 2012. As a result of the submissions and hearings on the Proposed District Plan, Cook St/Shakespeare St was finally zoned as Commercial Zone in the 2017 Operative District Plan. The Issues and Options report recommends retaining the existing Commercial Zone.
What has happened?
Key stakeholder workshops were held in November 2021 on both the areas under investigation, with a follow-up workshop on Carter's Flat in April 2022. As part of the feedback there was a general endorsement to retain the Cook St/Shakespeare St Commercial Zone as it is, and lack of a community desire for any rezoning. In regards to Carter's Flat, the following feedback was received:
- General support for Carter’s Flat to transition from Industrial Zone to a mixed use (Commercial) Zone.
- A keenness to enhance amenity and create more interaction with the existing green spaces; being Lake Te Koo Utu and Karapiro Stream.
- Concern regarding the speed and congestion of traffic particularly along Albert Street, and a general desire to improve intersections in the area and explore alternative heavy traffic routes.
- Suggestions that the 1000m2 floor area as a minimum might be too high and a smaller floor area minimum may be preferable.
- A strong theme for Carter's Flat is to complement, rather than compete with, the existing Cambridge town centre.
As a result of the workshops and stakeholder feedback:
- Council proceeded with a Plan Change to amend the Waipā District Plan as it relates to the Carter's Flat rezoning.
- Council confirmed it will not proceed with any rezoning of the Cook St/Shakespeare St Commercial Zone. This zone remains fit for purpose. Council has not identified any wider community benefits or drivers that would form a justifiable basis (in terms of the Resource Management Act requirements), for changing the zoning at this time.
The Carter’s Flat Local Area Plan
As part of the process to re-purpose Carter’s Flat from an industrial/commercial area to a mixed use area that complements, rather than competes with the Central Cambridge Business Area by enabling a mix of larger format commercial activities with apartment living, a Local Area Plan (LAP) was created. The Carter’s Flat LAP is a framework to guide future development and investment in the Carter’s Flat area as it transitions, and identifies key moves and investments to support this change and establishes a vibrant mixed use area that has a high level of vitality.
Taking advantage of Carter’s Flats location near the Cambridge Central Business area, Lake Te Koo Utu and the Karapiro Stream Gully, establish an attractive mixed use area that enables larger floor area commercial activities; including retail and office space supported by apartment living. Carter’s Flat will become a high amenity environment through the development of high-quality buildings and attractive public spaces, that enhance access and connection with the surrounding areas.
Where is Carter's Flat?
The following map shows the extent of the area covered by Plan Change 19 for Carter's Flat in Cambridge and its Commercial Zone (brown) and Deferred Commercial Zone (hatched brown).
What’s the issue?
Cambridge is growing rapidly and the Waipa 2050 strategy indicates that to cater for anticipated population growth in Cambridge of up to 30,300 people by 2050, 27ha of commercial land (including 5ha of retail with the remaining being primarily office space) will be required. The Strategy states that there is demand for additional commercial land within Cambridge.
Part of Carter's Flat is zoned Commercial and part is in the Deferred Commercial Zone, where the Industrial Zone rules apply. The Waipa District Plan identifies two triggers for uplifting this deferred commercial zoning and changing the zone to Commercial. These triggers are the completion of the Cambridge expressway and provision for industrial development elsewhere). Both these triggers have been met.
What’s the fix?
Council undertake a Plan Change to rezone the Deferred Commercial Zone within Carter's Flat to 'Commercial' Zone and to prepare a Carter's Flat Local Area Plan to guide future development of the area.
Status
Activity | Date |
Proposed Plan Change 19 publicly notified, submissions open Local Area Plan opened for feedback | 25 August 2022 |
Submissions close Local Area Plan feedback closes Plan change "Deemed" Operative | 6 October 2022 7 October 2022 |
| Strategic Planning and Policy Committee endorsement of final Local Area Plan | 29 November 2022 |
| Council approval to make Proposed Plan Change 19 operative | 13 December 2022 |
| Proposed Plan Change 19 becomes operative | 27 January 2023 |
