Decisions on Tauranga City Council’s Intensification Planning Instrument

The Minister emphasized the need to make these decisions in a timely and efficient manner.

RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has announced his decisions regarding elements of Tauranga City Council’s Intensification Planning Instrument. Two recommendations, initially rejected by the Council, were referred to the Minister for a final decision.

“Tauranga City Council requested that I reject two recommendations made by the Independent Hearings Panel related to permitted building height limits and zoning in Mount Maunganui North, and a specific part of the City Centre Zone known as Area F,” stated Mr. Bishop.

The Intensification Planning Instrument, Plan Change 33, was reviewed by a Panel that reported to the Council in April. The Council rejected two of the Panel’s recommendations, proposed alternative recommendations, and referred the matter to Mr. Bishop under the Intensification Streamlined Planning Process (ISPP) as outlined in the Resource Management Act 1991.

“I have carefully considered this matter and taken advice from officials. The law requires that I only take into account matters that the Panel could have considered when making its recommendations. I have not commissioned new evidence. I have made decisions based on the information provided to me,” explained Mr. Bishop.

The Minister emphasized the need to make these decisions in a timely and efficient manner.

Regarding the permitted building height limits and zoning in Mount Maunganui North, Mr. Bishop agreed with the Council’s alternative recommendation to:

Upzone and increase the notified permitted building height from 11 meters plus 1 meter (as specified in the Medium Density Residential Standards) to:

22 meters for residential land within the 400-meter walkable catchment of the town center.

16 meters for residential land within the 400-800 meter walkable catchment of the town center.

Increase the notified permitted building height limit from 12 meters to 22 meters within the commercial center.

However, Mr. Bishop noted that qualifying matters set by the district plan reduce the permitted heights in approximately 66 percent of the area under consideration, meaning a large proportion of the permitted heights in residential areas of Mount Maunganui North are 11-12 meters.

“I consider the Council’s alternative recommendation would better give effect to the National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD) by providing greater development capacity and enabling the Mount Maunganui North area to evolve in response to the diverse and changing needs of people, communities, and future generations while managing identified cultural landscape, coastal environment, natural character, and outstanding natural features and landscape values,” Mr. Bishop stated.

Regarding the permitted building height limit in Area F of the City Centre Zone, Mr. Bishop accepted the Panel’s recommendation to remove the 16-meter permitted building height limit, believing it would better achieve a well-functioning urban environment and enable as much development capacity as possible.

Tauranga City Council will continue to progress its variation to Plan Change 33, the Tauriko West Urban Growth Area, to ensure sufficient development capacity in Tauranga. The Council has until 31 December 2025 to complete the ISPP for the Tauriko West Urban Growth Area.

The Minister’s decision is final and cannot be appealed.