After some 6400 submissions, hundreds of hours of hearings and deliberation, and Environment Court assisted mediation relating to 13 appeals involving more than 200 appeal points, the Proposed Whakatāne District Plan will become ‘operative in part’ from 13 April 2017.

The Whakatāne District Council last week approved the adoption of the Proposed Plan, with the exception of a rule relating to the clearance of kānuka and mānuka in significant biodiversity sites, which is under appeal by the Royal Forest and Bird Society. That appeal is currently before the Environment Court, and any changes required as a result of the Court’s findings will be incorporated in the ‘Operative Whakatāne District Plan’ later this year.

Reporting to the Council, Principal Planner Shane McGhie said there were distinct benefits to be gained by making the majority of the Proposed Plan operative now, rather than waiting for the outcome of the Environment Court hearing.

“The complexity and compliance costs of resource consent applications will be greatly reduced, because as it stands, every application and report prepared has to recognise the 2010 Operative Whakatāne District Plan, and then address the status of the Proposed District Plan provisions which are relevant to that application,” he said. “By making the vast majority of the Proposed Plan operative, that additional compliance cost will be removed.”

The plan review process actually began before the current District Plan became operative in 2010, due to the considerable time required to resolve appeals against its provisions. A Draft District Plan was released for public comment in July 2011, and following amendments recognising the community’s input, the Proposed Whakatane District Plan was publicly notified in June 2013.

Mayor Tony Bonne welcomed the approval of a “very important strategic document” and acknowledged the huge effort that has gone into its development. “The District Plan establishes the community’s environmental direction and is therefore one of our most important and far-reaching planning tools. This document will guide our development for the next decade and will help ensure that the things we all value — and which make the Whakatāne District such a great place to live — are protected, for the benefit of all residents.”