Gisborne District Council says proposed zoning changes will make it easier to build more homes in parts of Gisborne city.
The proposed Urban Plan Change is open for public submission until May 25 after the Government earlier approved an exemption for it from the Plan Stop policy, which paused all work on Resource Management Act plans in anticipation of a new system.
Land use in the region is managed through different zones that help identify the nature of the area and what activities may be appropriate there.
Each zone has specific rules appropriate to the activity, such as business, industry, or housing.
Council director of sustainable futures Jocelyne Allen said planning rules were needed to better reflect how we live, work and play.
“The changes are designed to give people more housing choices on the existing land that’s available for housing in the city, while at the same time keeping communities connected.
“The goal is to have well-designed, sustainable, attractive housing developments that build a sense of community, while making sure we are using land efficiently to protect our productive land for the prosperity of future generations.”
The proposed Medium Density Residential and City General Residential zones enable more houses on smaller lots, without the need for resource consent.
Allen said this did not mean a reduction in building standards.
“Housing developments will still have to meet standards such as minimum setbacks, daylight planes, or height limits.
“However, the proposed changes make these standards more permissive than our current plan, particularly in the proposed Medium Density Residential zone. Building code and consenting requirements under the Building Act will continue to apply.”
Gisborne GDP growth ‘encouraging’ - MP
Stats NZ data released this week showed regional gross domestic product for the year ended March 2025 had increased 4.7% year on year in Gisborne.
The provisional GDP figure for the Gisborne district over this period was $3.093 billion, compared with $2.954b in the year ended March 2024.
According to Stats NZ, nominal or “current price” GDP is not adjusted for price effects. This means the statistics do not always represent economic growth but increases in the current level (volumes and prices).
East Coast MP Dana Kirkpatrick said the result reflected the strength and resilience of East Coast communities and industries, noting that the North Island average regional GDP increase for that period was just under 2.8%.
“Growth in places like Gisborne and the Bay of Plenty reflects the hard work of farmers, growers, rural contractors, and the wider workforce who keep our regional economy moving,” Kirkpatrick said.
“Whilst this result reflects the year to March 2025, it is fair to acknowledge that the region has had some very challenging times in the past few months with weather events, road closures and now the fuel crisis. We will have to remain strong, practical and efficient to weather this new storm.”
The regions with the largest increases in GDP over this period were primarily driven by agriculture, particularly dairy farming, Stats NZ said.
