Environment Minister David Parker has ruled that an 18 hectare block of land in Otaihanga should be rezoned from ‘rural lifestyle’ to ‘general residential’ under the Kāpiti Coast District Council’s recent housing intensification plan change (Plan Change 2).

The Minister has also decided to apply the government-mandated medium density residential standards to the site, clearing the way for the landowner to develop the land for more intensive housing.

The Minister’s decision upholds the recommendation of the Independent Hearing Panel for Plan Change 2. The Council’s August 2023 decision to reject the panel’s recommendation required the issue to be referred to the environment minister for review and a final decision.

Mayor Janet Holborow said the Minister wrote to Council giving his reasons for accepting the panel’s recommendation to allow the rezoning.

“The Minister said the rezoning from lifestyle to residential aligned better with central government direction through the National Policy on Urban Development to enable more intensive housing, and is a strategic fit for greenfield development.

“He said it would make a notable contribution to the housing supply in Kāpiti by enabling 370 dwellings.

“He was also satisfied that the landowners had commissioned various technical assessments for the site, so its features and constraints were well understood and that it could be well-designed through existing processes without the use of a more detailed structure plan.”

The Minister’s decision is final and cannot be appealed.

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