It’s been a complicated process, and it’s a big deal, as it determines how we want our city to look and feel going forward. Find out the District Plan details in our explainer below.
So, what is the District Plan anyway?
The District Plan sets the direction for new housing for the capital. It spells out the guidelines in terms of housing, vibrant local centres, space, light, noise, views and more, all of which impacts your quality of life as a Wellington resident.
The District Plan is our ‘rulebook’ on how the city grows and changes, taking direction from the Spatial Plan (though it isn’t bound by it).
The Spatial Plan is a growth strategy outlining the ‘where’ and ‘how’ we will grow – a 'blueprint’ for the Wellington of the future.
The current population of Wellington is around 212,000. Another 50,000 to 80,000 people are expected to be living here in the next 30 years. The city cannot meet this future demand unless it plans and provides for more housing. The District Plan enables more housing and more housing variety to help meet this demand.
A bit of background
Back in 2017, the Council consulted with our communities about their aspirations for Wellington’s future. They told us they wanted a city that was compact, inclusive and connected, resilient, greener, vibrant and prosperous. This was captured in our 2021 Spatial Plan. We also consulted on a Draft District Plan in 2021.
The current District Plan came into effect in 2000. Due to the Resource Management Act 1991, we have a legal requirement to review the District Plan every 10 years. This is so we can make sure that we enable all the latest national policies and regulations. Despite ongoing revisions and changes, it needed to be updated to include the communities’ aspirations and new direction and law changes by central government, such as the National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD).
We notified the Proposed District Plan in July 2022 for formal submissions under the Resource Management Act so that the community and stakeholders could have their say. We received 497 submissions plus 138 further submissions.
A new direction: The Proposed District Plan
The Proposed District Plan was a big shift from the city’s current planning rules. Bringing the aspirations the community has to life, it proposed:
- Greater recognition of mana whenua values and promotion of an active partnership in resource management processes.
- Allowing for taller and denser development in and around the city centre, suburban centres, and train stations, to enable more housing capacity and housing choice.
- Increasing intensification and mixed-use spaces (blending residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, or entertainment spaces into one space within the existing urban area) to support Wellington's goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050.
- Focused character protections in higher quality character precincts in our inner suburbs.
- A risk-based approach for natural hazards, impacts of sea level rise, and climate change that balances intensification with adaptation.
- Heritage listing of new areas, buildings, objects, archaeological sites, and notable trees to protect them from inappropriate use and development, while enabling their sustainable long-term use.
- Guides to ensure buildings have sustainable long-term use and proposing reducing barriers for earthquake strengthening.
- Implementing new controls and design guides to ensure high quality urban development.