District Plan

Every Council in New Zealand is legally required to prepare a District Plan under the Resource Management Act 1991.

Councils throughout the country are at varying stages of the extensive public consultation process which is required for the preparation of a District Plan. Timaru District Council District Plan was made operative on 8 March 2005.

What is the District Plan about?

Essentially, the District Plan is Council's statement of how it wishes to see the land and water surface resources of the District managed. The Plan controls activities that can have harmful effects on the environment, including the amenities of the surrounding neighbourhood or area. To achieve this, activities are either provided for or excluded from certain areas by rules in the Plan. The different areas are called zones. The Plan provides for rural, residential, commercial, industrial and recreation zones. Certain activities that are permitted in one zone, may not be in another. There are also some General Rules which apply across the whole District. Activities may be permitted, controlled, discretionary or prohibited. Activities not provided for in the District Plan are called non-complying activities.

The Resource Management Act 1991 requires Council to monitor the state of the District's environment and the effectiveness of its District Plan.

Copies of the Timaru District Plan, including both the text and the maps, can be purchased from the Council. Or click here to view it online now.

Staff of the Planning Unit can advise you on the contents of the District Plan, and its relevance to any proposed development or activity that you may wish to undertake.