Port Hills Growth Options

What is the future for the Port Hills lowest slopes?

Following submissions and decisions on the District Plan, the Council is now reviewing its rules for protecting landscape on the "toe" of the Port Hills - that is, the slopes that lie below the 60-metre contour.

After hearing the public’s submissions and reviewing the reports of landscape experts, the Plan hearing panel was concerned that the Plan does not clearly explain why the 60-metre contour was chosen to define the bottom of the Port Hills zone.

The panel thought that, in at least some areas, four-hectare subdivisions on the toe of the Port Hills might not adequately protect the special landscape values.

The many possible options range from leaving things as they are, through to having larger lot sizes with new rules to control the landscape effects of buildings, forestry and earthworks.

Before the Council decides whether or not to change this part of the District Plan (what's known technically as a 'variation'), we would like to know what landowners and the community think.
 

We held two displays in the Tai Tapu Community Hall in August. If you missed them, you can read the material from the displays here.

For more information, you can also read the Port Hills landscape reports that we commissioned.

 

What do you think?

We would now like to hear your views. Once you have read the information from the open days, please send us your views using the feedback form [Microsoft Word version] [Adobe PDF version]. Please reply by the 15th of October.

We will write a summary of the results, post them on our website and send a copy to everyone who has shown an interest in the question. 

Next year we will report back to councillors who will then make a decision on whether to proceed with a variation, and if so, what option or options to choose.

This is your first opportunity to have a say but not necessarily the last.

If the council does decide to change the District Plan to give more landscape protection to the lowest slopes of the Port Hills, you will get a second opportunity to state your views when public submissions are invited during the formal consultation period.

If you have any questions you can email Julia Forsyth or phone her on 347 2870 or 318 8338.

 

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