Far North District Plan hearings close after 18 months of submissions

The hearing panel, which is made up of independent commissioners and elected members, will now review submissions and make recommendations to council. Photo / FNDC

The Far North’s long-running overhaul of its District Plan has reached a major milestone, with public hearings formally wrapping up after 18 months of public submissions and feedback.

More than 34,000 submissions from hundreds of speakers were made at the 20 hearings held on the Proposed District Plan.

The last of the 20 hearings was held at the Tahuaroa Function Centre at Waitangi Treaty Grounds earlier this month, ending the 18-month public feedback process.

To help mark the planning milestone, Mayor Moko Tepania addressed the hearings panel, which is made up of independent commissioners and elected members.

He was supported by current and former councillors, council chief executive Guy Holroyd, and key staff involved in the process.

A review of the current District Plan – the document that guides how land can be used, developed and subdivided, and affects all landowners and residents in the Far North – was launched in 2016. That review resulted in a PDP being formally notified in 2022.

Landowners, the wider community, tangata whenua and stakeholders were then asked to provide feedback on the PDP, which resulted in 605 submissions, raising 8725 original submission points. Another 589 “further submissions” were subsequently lodged resulting in another 26,088 submission points. In all, more than 34,000 submission points were raised, each requiring a response.

Since May 2024, hearings have been held at 13 venues across the district, including at several marae, with 295 submitters appearing either in person or remotely.

Hearing panel chair Robert Scott explained that while the public process has now concluded, the panel still has a lot of work to do.

“As a panel, we must deliver 20 recommendation reports to councillors. So, between now and March 31, we will be very, very busy evaluating all the evidence and submissions received and putting those into recommendation reports for the council to consider.”

Tepania acknowledged there had been challenges for the Proposed District Plan but said finishing the hearings was a significant milestone.

“To the hundreds of submitters who submitted thousands of submission points on this journey together, thank you so much for participating. Your voice is going to be heard and will influence what our final District Plan looks like.”

Earlier this year residents in Paihia raised issues with some of the recommendations in the PDP.

Paihia residents raised concerns around community engagement concerning heritage area overlays. The residents claimed they were blindsided by the rules, which they said would restrict future development and introduce complex rules, such as a 500mm soil disturbance limit.

The final stage of the 10-year council-led process will commence in June 2026 when the council gives notice of its decisions on the Proposed District Plan. Submitters do have an option to appeal the council’s decisions to the Environment Court. The new District Plan will only become fully operative when all appeals have been resolved.