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Last month, Auckland ratepayers received letters from Auckland Council about proposed Plan Change 120 (PC120), prompting widespread confusion on local social media about what the notices mean.
Hibiscus Matters spoke with Council’s Auckland-wide planning manager Phil Reid and senior policy planner Tian Liu to clarify some key points around the Natural Hazards proposals.
PC120 was publicly notified in early November and submissions are open until December 19. Anyone may make a submission as this is the formal process for ratepayers to raise concerns, object or support the proposed changes.
Council offers the Friend of the Submitter service, which is free and provides independent guidance on the submission process. Advisors can explain technical information, help people use the online planning maps, and offer tips on expressing views clearly. They cannot comment on the merits of PC120 or write submissions.
Questions about PC120 can be emailed to unitaryplan@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz. Information is also available on the Council website under Plan Change 120.
What is the aim of proposed Plan Change 120 for natural hazards?
The main focus of plan change 120 is to stop future developments in areas where it is not appropriate, given that development and subdivision occur over a long period of time.
We are adopting a climate change scenario that is consistent with what the government has advised in national documents and if people disagree with that, they are welcome to put in a submission and provide justification as to why we should use a different one. That is also up for debate as part of the submission process.
What do the changes in PC120 mean for homes built in areas that are considered to have natural hazards?
PC120 introduces new provisions and new ways to apply the rules that relate to natural hazards. What has changed in PC120 is that it now has stronger provisions, providing more policy direction and ways natural hazards areas are managed. In areas where the risk is identified as the greatest, we actually don’t want further development.
Why are these changes happening now?
Nationally, there’s more awareness. The cost of insurance premiums, and the way the banking industry is providing mortgages are other examples of increased awareness of climate adaption
The letters that went out also raised this awareness, creating a perception that the information is new. However, it’s just a stronger consenting regime that is being proposed to use that information.
PC 120 is about looking to the future. When we are planning zones, processing resource consent applications and subdivision applications, all of those things are for very long-lasting outcomes. If you are doing a subdivision, it is creating something which will go through time and be in the 100-year plus of how those outcomes will be locked into place. So the Unitary Plan is looking at that new development, those new subdivisions that are happening, and projecting ourselves forward a 100 years so that people are going to be safe on those properties.
What if a ratepayer disagrees with the plan changes proposed?
We don’t claim that what has been notified for PC120 is perfect. Any plan change which is publicly notified benefits from the submissions that come in to enable it to continue to improve. Part of what we’re doing as a council is raising awareness across Auckland to encourage people to make a submission.
We can only make improvements when people enter the RMA process by making a submission.
Why do the natural hazards changes take immediate legal effect?
The immediate legal effect is set out in the Resource Management Act and covers several areas, such as historic and heritage buildings.
It is to deal with what is called the “gold rush effect”. When you have the signalling of a new regulation, which is stronger or tougher, there is an incentive to escape the implications of that regulation by obtaining an approval now based on the current weaker approach before the tougher approach comes in, so the new clause comes in immediately to prevent that.
Why is information about natural hazards being put on LIM reports?
The LIM process had already been in place for some time and would have continued regardless of PC120.
