Moratorium on Christchurch plan changes to be lifted
The Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration has recently announced that the Canterbury Earthquake (Christchurch Replacement District Plan) Order 2014 (the Order) will be revoked on 18 March 2019. This is a significant rebuild milestone.
The Order established special emergency planning process for the review and replacement of Christchurch’s district plans following the Canterbury earthquakes. The aim was to streamline the planning process and ensure efficiency during the Christchurch rebuild. In achieving this efficiency some aspects of the normal Resource Management Act (RMA) planning process were suspended, including the process for either Council or privately initiated plan changes.
The replacement Christchurch District Plan process concluded with the Plan being made operative in December 2017, however the Order was not due to expire until 30 June 2021. The early revocation of the Order will return administration of planning processes to the Christchurch City Council and restore the normal application of the RMA. Council and individuals will again have the opportunity to initiate changes to the district plans and participate in the normal RMA processes for consideration of those plan changes.
Revocation of the Order does not affect application of the Greater Christchurch Regeneration Act 2016, which continues to provide alternative pathways (where statutory requirements are met) for overcoming planning impediments to recovery activity, through either Regeneration Plans or Ministerial powers to amend planning documents.
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