The decision to allow Plan Change 25 means the council can go ahead with its decision to create a new Special Housing Area in Wairakei.
The council said in a statement changes to the city plan zoning would ensure development could achieve good urban design outcomes and provide for a range of housing typologies.
Mount Maunganui/Papamoa Ward councillor Steve Morris said a number of residents were under the impression that the council already owned the land and was selling it.
"...and they were quite rightly against that," he said.
But this was not true, Mr Morris said.
He said the council would provide a new 20ha reserve including five new sports fields east of the Wairakei site from 2026.
Fellow ward councillor Leanne Brown said she and Mr Morris recently met with more than 250 local residents to discuss growth pressures in Papamoa East.
"Whilst there were a couple of questions, most understood that the pressure from central government to meet housing demands is the driver for increased density, height and housing types."
Papamoa East resident of 27 years, John Middleton, said the decision did not surprise him but the area was now going to be short on reserves.
"I'm really disappointed that the commissioner couldn't see past the fact that active reserve is several kilometres away from Gordon Spratt Reserve and is going to be several kilometres away from where they propose a reserve to be in Te Tumu Rd. I believe it's just absolute short-sightedness on his behalf."
But Mr Middleton said he understood the process and why the decision was made.
"I fully understand that and I fully understand the council's situation with the SHAs [Special Housing Areas], but it just doesn't take away the fact that we're disappointed that this has actually happened."
The changes include:
-Rezoning Papamoa East employment land to residential - this excludes land around the future Papamoa East Interchange and Wairakei town centre.
-Relocating and resizing the neighbourhood centre zones.
-Providing for medium rise plan areas in the Wairakei residential zone, allowing development in distinct locations up to 17.5m high.
-Rezoning land previously zoned active open space to residential.
-Removing the need for a comprehensive development consent in the Wairakei residential zone to provide a simpler planning framework.
Background:
-The aim of Plan Change 25 was to provide a simpler, less costly consent framework within the Wairakei residential zone, similar to other residential zones within the city.
-A total of 54 submissions were received from the community to Plan Change 25, which was notified in October 2016.
-The summary of submissions was notified in January 2017, with 20 further submissions received. Hearings were conducted by the independent hearings commissioner in May.
-Submitters on Plan Change 25 have been publicly notified and can submit an appeal in the next 30 days.
-In June 2017, the council agreed to recommend to the Building and Construction Minister the establishment of a new Special Housing Area (SHA) in Wairakei.
-This area is the piece of land previously zoned active open space under consideration through the plan change process.
-The council's agreement to establish this SHA was conditional on the independent hearings commissioner's own recommendation on this particular aspect of Plan Change 25.
-The independent hearings commissioner's recommendation is to rezone that area to residential, reflecting council's previous decision and the removal of the designation for an active reserve back in 2011.
-This means that council's recommendation to the Minister to establish the SHA is now confirmed.
-The provision of a good supply and variety of housing to meet demand over time is a key part of council's overall city growth objectives.
-Consenting for residential development will be able proceed on that piece of land if the Minister approves the SHA at his end. This decision will not be altered by the appeals process in progress for Plan Change 25.
