Recommendations on designations received

The first Independent Hearings Panel recommendations on the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan have been received by Auckland Council.

The Auckland Unitary Plan Independent Hearings Panel has delivered its recommendations for all designations included within the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan, with the exception of Auckland International Airport, KiwiRail and a New Zealand Transport Agency designation relating to the Newmarket Viaduct.

A designation is a planning tool used for public works by Ministers of the Crown, local authorities, and network utility operators, such as power companies – called ‘Requiring Authorities’ under the Resource Management Act.

From today these recommendations will be available on the Auckland Council website.

Decisions on the recommended designations for Auckland Council will be made in late August together with the council’s decisions on all other Independent Hearings Panel recommendations on the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan.

The council does not make decisions on designations for other Requiring Authorities. However the council will confirm the recommendations it will make to the other Requiring Authorities in late August. Decisions will then be made by the Requiring Authorities themselves.

Designations are used to authorise a requiring authority’s public works and activities on a particular site, without the need for land use consent. These apply to properties either owned by a requiring authority or privately-owned land.

When they apply to privately-owned land, designations restrict what landowners and occupiers can do on that land, while enabling requiring authorities to undertake certain types of works, activities, or projects.

Examples include building roads, parks, or providing utility services such as water supply, telecommunications and electricity transmission.

Most of the designations included in the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan were already included in the District Plans of Auckland’s former councils and have been rolled over into the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan with some changes. There are, however, some new designations which have been requested as part of the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan process.

The remainder of the Independent Hearings Panel recommendations on the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan will be presented to the council no later than 22 July 2016.

ENDS

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