Change 4 Tauriko West Urban Limit

Change 4 (Tauriko West Urban Limit) was incorporated into the Regional Policy Statement and became operative from 30 October 2018.

It amends the urban limit line to enable the delivery of urban development at Tauriko West and was prepared in accordance with the new RMA streamlined planning process direction from the Minister for the Environment which was gazetted on 28 February 2018.

Minister's decision received 24 September 2018

View the Minister's decision

• Decision of the Minister for the Environment

View the hearing panel's recommendation

• Recommendation of the Hearing Panel

View the hearing minutes

• Minutes of the Hearing 6 August 2018

View documents tabled at the hearing

• Statement of Evidence - Tabled item 1 - Submitter 16 SmartGrowth
• Statement of Evidence - Tabled item 2 - Submitter 15 Tauranga City Council
• Statement of Evidence - Tabled item 3 - Submitter 17 Nicola O'Donoghue
• Statement of Evidence - Tabled item 4 - Submitter 13 New Zealand Transport
• Statement of Evidence - Tabled item 5 - Submitter 2 Tauriko Property Group
• Statement of Evidence - Tabled item 6 - Submitter 11 Kitcherner Trust

View other hearing information

• Hearing schedule
• Staff overview report (s42A)
• Proposed Change 4 (Tauriko West Urban Limit) Staff Recommendations Redline/Strikeout version 6.0 (Appendix 1)
• List of Submitters to Proposed Change 4 (Tauriko West Urban Limit) (Appendix 2)
• Staff Recommendations on Provisions with Submissions Report (Appendix 3)

Submissions closed 4 July 2018

Proposed Change 4 was publicly notified for submissions on Tuesday 22 May 2018. The submission period closed at 4pm on Wednesday 4 July 2018 and 20 submissions were received.

View the Proposed Change

• Proposed Change 4 (Tauriko West Urban Limit) to the Bay of Plenty Regional Policy Statement
• Section 32 Evaluation Report
• Public Notice
• Submission form
• Guide to making a submission
• Streamlined Planning Process Direction Gazetted 28 February 2018

What is Proposed Change 4 all about?

Tauriko West is on the edge of Tauranga, located within the Western Corridor. Approximately half the area sits within each of the Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Tauranga City Council territorial areas. The entire area currently sits outside the Bay of Plenty Regional Policy Statement Urban Limit which means it cannot be used for urban development by either Western Bay of Plenty District Council or Tauranga City Council.

The area is identified for potential urban development to support our region’s rapid growth, as part of the SmartGrowth partnership’s 50-year vision for the western Bay of Plenty. The Tauriko West project sees SmartGrowth partners Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Tauranga City Council working alongside the NZ Transport Agency to create a thriving community for locals to live, learn, work and play locally.The purpose of Proposed Change 4 (Tauriko West Urban Limit) to the Bay of Plenty Regional Policy Statement is to enable the delivery of urban development at Tauriko West.

The purpose of Proposed Change 4 (Tauriko West Urban Limit) is to amend the current Urban Limits Line and indicative timing of growth in the Regional Policy Statement to provide for urban development at Tauriko west.

The outcomes the change seeks to achieve are to:

• Enable implementation of the National Policy Statement on Urban Development Capacity (NPS-UDC) to enable a minimum of 10 years zoned development capacity within the Western Bay of Plenty sub-region.
• Implement the outcomes of the review of the western Bay of Plenty sub-region Growth Management Strategy to the extent that the urban and rural growth management objectives, policies and methods are in conflict.
• Enable the delivery of urban development, specifically within the proposed urban growth area of Tauriko West.

In February 2018 the Minister for the Environment issued a direction allowing the Bay of Plenty Regional Council to use a new streamlined planning process, provided for in the Resource Management Act 1991, for Proposed Change 4.

The Minister's direction sets out a strict timeline in which the Proposed Change must occur. The timeframe provides for consultation, public notification, and a period for submissions and a public hearing. At the end of the process (approximately the end of September 2018) the Minister will issue his decision on the proposed change.

Why do we need to change the Urban Limit?

A change to the Bay of Plenty Regional Policy Statement Urban Limit is required to accommodate urban development in the Tauriko West area. The SmartGrowth settlement pattern review identified the area as having the potential to provide for approximately 3000 houses. Actual housing capacity numbers will be determined once the structure planning phase of the work, which is being carried out by Tauranga City Council, is complete.

In order to release land for development four inter-related projects need to be completed:

• The Regional Policy Statement must be changed to enable urbanisation of the subject area; and
• An adjustment to the local authority boundary must be made so that part of the Tauriko West area, currently within the Western Bay of Plenty District boundary, will sit within the Tauranga City local authority area; and
• A structure plan and rezoning process must be delivered, identifying how the new community will be laid out. This includes the road and street pattern, cycle and walkways, the location of facilities such as schools, parks, shopping and community centres, and public transport services; and
• The Transport Agency needs to confirm a schedule of works for state highway improvements, including designations to realign State Highway 29. They will be seeking stakeholder and public input into the option selection processes in late 2018 to help inform the final recommended projects and timing of activity.

Details of all these projects can be found here www.taurikofortomorrow.co.nz.