The Local Alcohol Policy specifies how alcohol providers may operate in Selwyn District.

The Council has consulted on proposed changes to the Selwyn District Local Alcohol Policy and completed deliberations.

All consultation records can be viewed at Local Alcohol Policy Review | Your Say Selwyn.

The Selwyn District Local Alcohol Policy [PDF, 116 KB] (LAP) came into force on 24 April 2017 and remains in place until the new policy comes into force.

The adoption of the Local Alcohol Policy 2025 was publicly notified in The Press on Saturday 30th August 2025 as required by section 90(1) of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.

The new Local Alcohol Policy will come into force on the 19 January 2026.

Council’s Alcohol Licensing Inspector will be working with affected licensees over the coming months to ensure they are aware of the changes and plan for them in their businesses.

The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 allows local councils to develop local alcohol policies. A local alcohol policy (LAP) is a set of decisions made by a local authority in consultation with its community about the sale and supply of alcohol in its geographical area. Once a LAP is in place, licensing bodies must consider it when they make decisions about alcohol licensing applications.

A LAP can have conditions that:

  • limit the location of licences in particular areas or near certain types of facilities such as in specific neighbourhoods or near schools or churches (this doesn't apply to special licences)
  • limit the density of licences by specifying whether new licences or types of licences should be issued in a particular area (this doesn't apply to special licences)
  • impose conditions on groups of licences, such as a 'one-way door' condition that would allow patrons to leave premises but not enter or re-enter after a certain time
  • restrict or extend the maximum opening hours set in the new Act.
  • A LAP can have different conditions for different areas within the council's District.