Navigating the details of the Whakatāne District Plan is now a simple click away, thanks to the launch of a new ePlan tool. 

Councils throughout the country have been tasked with improving accessibility for district plans, with the Ministry for the Environment mandating all councils to have an online interactive plan.

Whakatāne District Council Manager Policy, Planning and Consents Compliance, Nicholas Woodley said the new platform has been designed to enhance user experience and offers access to information from the District Plan on any device.

“The ePlan allows users to pinpoint relevant information easily, with intuitive search functions and customisable filters, making it easier to do business with Council in the regulatory space.”
Users can now search for a specific property and use filters to narrow down the relevant parts of the District Plan they want to view. Previously, the Plan was accessed through separate maps in hard copy form or as a series of PDF documents.

"While the structure has been rearranged in a new layout to meet the requirements of the National Planning Standards, the content of the District Plan has not changed,” Mr Woodley clarified.

“We anticipate our regular users, such as surveyors, developers, real estate agents, designers, lawyers, and tradespeople, will appreciate the change. Additionally, the public will find this tool far more streamlined and user-friendly than what we’ve had before.”

A district plan serves as a key document, offering crucial policy guidance and regulatory frameworks for land development and usage.

To view the operative Whakatāne District Plan visit our website.