29 July 2022

Updated timeline for new Medium Density Residential Standards 

The new Medium Density Residential Standards (MDRS) set to come into effect in August are being pushed back a month due to the impacts of COVID-19 and winter sickness.

Our planning team was preparing to notify its Housing and Business Choice Plan Change (PC14) before the statutory deadline of 20 August 2022, but its work programme has been hampered by high levels of staff illness. 

MDRS will not have immediate legal effect for 1–3 unit developments until notification occurs. 

We know there is a lot of interest in the MDRS and it is important people realise these are not going to be operational until September, when notification is now scheduled.

We understand people are also keen to see what we are proposing in the plan change regarding intensification in and around our commercial centres, as well as the areas where development will be restricted because of Qualifying Matters, such as heritage. Some amendments have been made to these proposals since we asked for early feedback on the draft plan change back in April and May.

The move in notification date will not affect the Council’s ability to complete the Housing and Business Choice Plan Change process by the subsequent statutory deadline of 20 August 2023.

Approval to notify the Housing and Business Choice Plan Change is scheduled for consideration at the 8 September 2022 Council meeting.

If the Council gives its approval, the Plan Changes will be publicly notified on Friday 23 September 2022 and will go out for public consultation the same day. The public will have until Monday 24 October 2022 to give their feedback.

We will be providing more information as soon as we can about how the new rules will apply once notification occurs.

Keep in touch

If you have any questions about your resource consent applications, please get in touch with us at CCCResourceconsentapplications@ccc.govt.nz or for general enquiries email dutyplanner@ccc.govt.nz or call 941 8999.