Council to consider private plan change request

Christchurch City Council will next week consider whether to accept for processing a private plan change to rezone land adjoining the Homebase retail centre on Marshland Road.

The land to the north of the centre is currently zoned for residential development. The Council’s Urban Development and Transport Committee will decide at its meeting on 7 October whether or not a private plan change request for the zoning to be changed to commercial retail park can proceed.

The request has been made by Reefville Properties Ltd.

Head of Planning and Strategic Transport David Griffiths says any person is able to request a private plan change under the Resource Management Act (RMA).

“Under the RMA there are limited grounds on which the Council can reject the request. Based on these grounds, staff are recommending the Council accept the proposed private plan change for processing,’’ Mr Griffiths says.

If the Committee does decide to accept the request, the Council will publicly notify the plan change and invite the public to make submissions on what is proposed.

A hearing will then be held to consider the submissions and assess the merits of the request. Council will then make a decision, having regard to the recommendations of the Hearings Panel, on whether it will accept or reject the proposed plan change.

After the Council's decision, the applicant and anyone who has made a submission on the proposed private plan change can appeal the decision to the Environment Court.

Private plan changes can take up to two years to fully complete, depending on whether or not appeals are lodged.  The party who requested the plan change must pay for the processing costs.

Find out more about the proposed private plan change.

*The Google Earth image above shows the Homebase retail centre on Marshland Road and the land to the north of it, which is the subject of the private plan change request.