The Environment Court has granted the Waimakariri District
Council's application for the subdivision and development rules
in the General Rural Zone of its proposed District Plan to have
immediate legal effect (meaning that the rules would apply from the
date of notification). The proposed District Plan was publicly
notified on 18 September 2021.
Subdivision and development type rules in district plans
typically only have legal effect once a decision on submissions is
made and publicly notified, and no appeals against the
council's decision are lodged. Given current and increasing
development pressures on rural land, together with the need to
protect rural productive potential and rural character and amenity
of the area, the Council applied to the Environment Court for some
of the rural subdivision and development rules in the proposed
District Plan to have immediate legal effect.
