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Last modified: 20 Oct 2020 8:30am

Head and shoulders of a man with a speech bubble saying "where can I develop land in Selwyn"

The District Plan sets the rules on where you can have a house or business through zones.

Zones set the direction for where growth will be in the future, including where businesses and homes can be built. The rules for each zone outline what you can build, covering everything from how tall a building can be, whether you can build a sleepout or run a business from home, to how far away from everyone else a noisy business has to be.

In the Proposed District Plan we’re proposing to bring in some changes to the zones in Selwyn.

The plan would simplifying the zones for residential areas from over 70 down to four. It would also focus residential development in and around our existing towns and give people more options for different housing types and smaller sections if they want in some urban areas. It would also continue to allow businesses to run from home, but tighten the rules to encourage businesses to set up commercial and business zones where possible.

For the rural areas, it would make it easier for businesses servicing rural activities to be based in rural areas and reduce the density of houses allowed in parts of the western plains and foothills to ensure land is kept for rural production, Council Planning Team Leader Robert Love says.

“The proposed zones give a guide for growth in the district for the next 10 years. With the residential zones, we’re aiming to make the plan simpler and make it easier for people to find and understand the rules for their property. We’re also aiming to give people more choices on the homes they live in, while keeping our character.”

We’re giving more time for you to have your say on the Proposed District Plan. Consultation has been extended and now closes at 5pm Friday 11 December. We’ve also added some more drop in sessions so you can talk to a planner one on one about any questions you have. The drop-in session dates are:

Tuesday 27 October, 6–7.30pm, Council Chambers at Selwyn District Council buildings

Tuesday 3 November, 6–7.30pm, Community Room at Leeston Library and Service Centre

Saturday 7 November, 9am–5pm, Hororata Highland Games, Hororata Domain

Tuesday 17 November, 6–7.30pm, Lincoln Event Centre, Baylis Lounge

Tuesday 24 November, 6–7.30pm, Darfield Recreation and Community Centre, Lounge Room