The Queenstown Lakes District Council is undertaking a review of the 'living zones' allowed in rural areas, planning and regulatory manager Vicki Jones said.

The District Plan allowed people to live in certain rural parts of the district.

"These are called Rural Living Zones and are different to other rural areas, which are called the Rural General Zone. The latter is subject to strong controls. Rural Living Zones are areas of land identified in the Council's District Plan as either Rural Lifestyle (1-2ha) or Rural Residential (4000m2) Zones, the main difference being in the size of the sections allowed to be developed," Ms Jones said.

The Council needed to be sure it was managing the effects of development within these Rural Living Zones, she said.

"It is proposing that Rural Lifestyle and Rural Residential be dealt with separately in terms of the character they're trying to achieve," Ms Jones said.

Three areas were considered to be a priority, West Wanaka, Makarora and Glenorchy because they were located in sensitive landscapes but the Council was also looking at the whole Rural Living Zone.

The Council had identified a number of issues with the rural living areas, which are discussed in detail in a public review document. These issues included:

• The Rural Residential and Rural Lifestyle Zones have not been separated in the District Plan, however the two zones are very different in purpose and character.
• Parts of the District Plan can at times be contrary with respect to rural living.
• Some Rural Living Zones are part of Outstanding Natural Landscapes, however this is not provided for.

As a result of a steady increase in land value within the district, the type of development within the Rural Living Zones has changed accordingly, with greater landscaping and larger houses becoming common, however the District Plan does not necessarily reflect this.

Parts of the plan are confusing with respect to subdivision and development in the Rural Living Zones.

The Council has suggested some options. They include:

• Do nothing.
• Make the various parts of the plan more consistent in terms of subdivision, building and landscape values, with regards Rural Living Zone.
• Encourage or require houses to be in small clusters rather than spread out in order to protect the landscape. The plan does not encourage it at the moment.
• Make special provision for Makarora, West Wanaka and Glenorchy to better recognise and protect their individual rural character. At the moment they all come under the Rural Living Zone criteria.
• Change the density and height of housing in the Rural Living Zones.
• Have more control over the look and location of buildings.
• Protect the prominent parts of the Rural Living Zones (e.g. elevated slopes or areas closest to the road).
• To change anything in the District Plan the Council had to make a Plan Change.

"The Council wants to get feedback first before deciding whether to notify a Plan Change and what exactly will be changed," Ms Jones said.

Letters had already been sent to rural landowners and public meetings would be held at Wanaka on May 26 at 5.30pm at the Lake Wanaka Centre and at Queenstown on May 27 at 5.30pm at the Queenstown Events Centre.

"The Council values the wider community's feedback at this early stage. If the Council chooses to progress to a Plan Change then there will be further opportunities for public submissions," Ms Jones said.

As the matter was complicated the Council had devised some feedback forms, an information sheet and a discussion document summary and the full review document, available at Council offices, libraries and CivicCorp offices or on the Council website.

ENDS

For further information please contact Vicki Jones 03 441 0499 or 027 230 1266.

By: Tamah