Toxic Algae Warning
Activities on the surface of water include swimming, boating, fishing (including customary fishing from mahinga kai), and some activities associated with river management. While most activities on the surface of water have minimal effect, more disruptive activities can affect other waterbody users, natural character, public access and amenity values.
This chapter provides for activities on the surface of water, while managing the effects of these activities on the surrounding environment.
Please note: this chapter contains some provisions that have immediate legal effect. These are identified in the Proposed District Plan with a red outline and a gavel icon.
Read the Activities on the Surface of Water s32 Evaluation Report (PDF 1.2 MB)
Lower Hutt has about 42km of coastline comprising the inner Wellington Harbour and open coastline to the Cook Strait. The coastline varies from highly modified areas such as Seaview through to remote and undeveloped areas such as Pencarrow Head, Baring Head and Turakirae Head.
The purpose of the Coastal Environment chapter is to manage the effects of use and development in coastal areas and to manage the risk from coastal hazards.
In accordance with the requirements of the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement, Council has identified the landward extent of the coastal environment as well as areas of high, very high and outstanding coastal natural character. This chapter contains provisions for the protection of the identified values.
The Coastal Environment chapter also includes objectives, policies and rules on coastal hazards, specifically, coastal inundation and tsunami hazards.
Read the Coastal Environment s32 Evaluation Report (PDF 2.7 MB)
Read the Information Sheet on Natural Hazards (PDF 81 KB)
Earthworks play an essential part in new land uses, subdivision, and development, including the preparation of building platforms, construction of new roads and accesses, and trenching for new services. Earthworks are also an essential part of the operation of quarries, cleanfills and landfills.
However, if not appropriately managed, earthworks have the potential to harm the environment, including through detracting from the visual amenity values of the area, sedimentation of water bodies and stormwater infrastructure, and causing or exacerbating natural hazard risk.
This chapter includes objectives, policies, and rules that relate to earthworks, including provisions that apply to specific locations (such as zone and overlay-specific rules).
Slope Assessment Overlay
The Proposed District Plan includes a new Slope Assessment Overlay. The purpose of the Slope Assessment Overlay is to identify areas in Lower Hutt that have a higher risk of slope instability than other areas. The overlay mostly applies to hilly areas in Lower Hutt’s urban and rural-residential areas.
Under the Proposed District Plan, if someone wanted to undertake earthworks for a new building platform, they would need to apply for a resource consent for those earthworks. The application would need to address how the risk of slope instability from those earthworks would be managed.
In addition, the potential risk of slope stability would need to be considered as part of any application for new subdivision within the overlay if the subdivision would result in new building platform within the overlay.
This would not affect any existing buildings or development. It would only apply to new buildings and development.
Read the Earthworks s32 Evaluation Report (PDF 1.9 MB)
Read the Information Sheet on the Slope Assessment Overlay (PDF 59 KB)
Council uses financial contributions in the District Plan and development contributions in the Development and Financial Contributions Policy to fund growth-related infrastructure and services.
Financial contributions can be required under the RMA in line with provisions in the District Plan.
This chapter sets out where financial contributions may be required by Council, as well as how they are to be calculated and collected.
Read the Financial Contributions s32 Evaluation Report (PDF 1.3 MB)
The Light chapter manages potential impacts of activities that generate light on:
- Amenity values,
- People’s wellbeing (including sleep disturbance),
- Light sensitive areas (such as the coastal marine areas), and
- Impacts on views of the night sky in rural areas, regional parks and other protected areas,
while providing for lighting that enables safe and efficient use of indoor and outdoor areas, including for the transport network and public spaces.
This is achieved through a range of technical lighting standards specified in the chapter.
Read the Light s32 Evaluation Report (PDF 3.4 MB)
The Noise chapter manages noise and vibration, primarily to address the impacts on people’s health and wellbeing, and amenity values.
The noise rules and standards in this chapter provide the noise limits for each zone and for specific activities. This chapter also sets out zones and mapped overlays where sound insulation and mechanical ventilation is required for activities sensitive to noise.
Read the Noise s32 Evaluation Report (PDF 9.0MB)
Papakāinga are traditional forms of Māori communal living on ancestral or tribal lands. Papakāinga development usually involves housing and marae facilities but can include a range of facilities and activities associated with whānau or hapū providing for their social, cultural and economic wellbeing on ancestral or tribal land.
The Papakāinga chapter includes objectives and policies. These are implemented through rules in other chapters of the Plan, particularly the rules of the chapters for residential zones, rural zones and the Marae Zone.
Read the Papakāinga s32 Evaluation Report (PDF 1.4 MB)
Signs promote business, community facilities, and other activities, and are useful and necessary for wayfinding and safety.
Excessive or poorly controlled signage can adversely affect amenity values, heritage values and the safety of the transport network.
The Signs chapter provides for signage, while managing their effects on the surrounding environment.
Please note: this chapter contains some provisions that have immediate legal effect. These are identified in the Proposed District Plan with a red outline and a gavel icon.
Read the Signs s32 Evaluation Report (PDF 1.4 MB)
A wide range of temporary activities contribute to the vibrancy, diversity and prosperity of Lower Hutt. These activities include community, cultural, and economic events on a large and small scale, open to the public or in private.
The Temporary Activities chapter provides a more permissive pathway for certain temporary activities in zones where they might not otherwise be provided for.
Read the Temporary Activities s32 Evaluation Report (PDF 1.2 MB)
Buildings and structures alter the patterns and speeds of wind around them, and this can result in uncomfortable or even hazardous conditions for people in public spaces. The windy climate of Lower Hutt means that new buildings need to be designed and managed to reduce the impacts of wind on public space.
The Wind chapter requires resource consent applications for buildings taller than three storeys to assess and manage the building’s impact on wind in the surrounding area.
Read the Wind s32 Evaluation Report (PDF 1.3 MB)