Media release
26 August 2014

Unitary Plan hearings begin

The next milestone in developing Auckland’s first Unitary Plan is the start of the hearings process on 2 September.

Next week the Auckland Unitary Plan Independent Hearings Panel will begin the process of hearing submissions on 74 topics. The first session of the hearing programme is a pre-hearing meeting on matters the Panel sees as outside its jurisdiction, followed by the hearing for this topic on 25 September.

October sees the Panel embarking on the hearings for the regional policy statement (RPS) matters in the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan.

The hearings begin with topics like the RPS that set the strategic direction for the site specific matters that will be heard later in the schedule.

Details of the hearing topics and the schedule until February 2015 can be found at: www.aupihp.govt.nz/documents/docs/aupihpschedule.pdf.

The eight member Panel, under chair Judge David Kirkpatrick, will consider the views of around 9500 submitters and a further 3500 submitters who have responded to the original submissions.

The Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan sets the rules about how the Auckland region will develop over decades, including what can be built and where and how to protect the environment and Auckland’s built and cultural heritage.

The Panel must report back to Auckland Council by July 2016 any changes it thinks should be made to the plan. Council has until 30 September to consider the Panel’s recommendations and to publish an Auckland Unitary Plan.

Ends.

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