The Masterton District Council planning department is wading through more than 500 combined district plan submissions that tower about half a metre high. It's the first time in the region's history that there will be a combined plan of action for development, acted on separately in the past by Masterton, Cartertonand South Wairarapa district councils. Wairarapa is also the first region in the country to come together in such a combined way and be at such an advanced stage. The proposed combined approach has caused a huge wave of consent applications for land subdivision, both urban and rural, by people nervous that more strict or different rules may stand in the way of their projects. The increased interest in subdividing rural land in Wairarapa in recent years is what created the proposed new standards to carefully manage the intensity of rural subdivision. Masterton district planner Susan Southey is managing the scheduling and submission process of the combined plan project on behalf of the three councils, which have each earmarked funds for the massive consultation exercise. "It's a cost-sharing basis we're working on," she said. The draft combined plan was made available for public comment earlier this year and submissions closed on October 30. Mrs Southey said about 530 submissions have been received. She said the race is now on to get the submissions into readable form, and they will be presented to the public by December 20. "There's an official "no go" time period from December 20 ? January 10 for councils, and so we're trying hard to get the information out before then," Mrs Southey said. She would not say if any issues in particular dominated submissions. People who have made submissions can choose to appear at hearings in support of their submissions in June and July next year. Objectors to the final draft of the plan can lodge appeals with the Environment Court.
