Hamilton City Council has publicly notified Plan Change 5 - Peacocke Structure Plan under the Resource Management Act. Now is your opportunity to have your say and make a formal submission until 5 November 2021.
What's a structure plan?
A structure plan helps guide the development of a new area. It considers things like transport connections (including public transport, cycling, and walking), parks and open spaces, commercial areas, housing style and density, environment and cultural heritage and sets out the best place for each of those activities to happen. It will help us balance the need for housing with social, cultural, environmental, and economic outcomes for our community.
What does Plan Change 5 cover?
The Peacocke Structure Plan was created in 2007 and reviewed in 2012, in full public consultation processes. But a lot has changed since then. With funding for key infrastructure confirmed, and construction under way, the Peacocke Structure Plan now needs to be updated to reflect the outcomes we want for our newest neighbourhood. This includes environmental and urban design best practice and will bring our plan in line with the National Policy Statement for Urban Development and the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Quality, Government's directions for how they want councils to develop well-functioning communities and healthy rivers.
The new infrastructure connections, like roads and pipes, and subdivisions being built mean that Peacocke is already changing. We need to make sure it is changing in a way that reflects the outcomes we all want.
The key elements of the plan change include:
- The rezoning of approximately 690 hectares from General Residential Zone and Peacocke Special Character Zone to Peacocke Medium Density Residential Zone. This will enable up to 8400 residential units comprising a mixture of single dwellings, duplex dwellings, terraced houses and apartments.
- The rezoning of approximately 7.8 hectares from Peacocke Special Character Zone to Local Centre Zone to establish the main commercial centre within Peacocke.
- The rezoning of approximately 3 hectares from Peacocke Special Character Zone to Neighbourhood Centre Zone to allow the establishment of eight neighbourhood centres.
- Increase the Natural Open Space Zone from 16 hectares to 143 hectares. These areas of will include significant bat habitat buffers and corridors outside of the gully network, to join the Mangakootukutuku Gully network with areas outside of the Peacocke Structure Plan Area.
- The rezoning of 14 hectares of Peacocke Special Character Zone to Peacocke Sports and Active Recreation Zone for the purpose of establishing a sports park.
- The area of Significant Natural Area (SNA) will be increase to 58.2 hectares.
- A number of new archaeological sites have been identified and included on the Features Maps.
- The Waikato River and Gully Hazard Area overlay has been amended and a new Seismic Setback area has been introduced to reflect the work undertaken to identify hazards.
- New provisions are proposed to protect areas of significant bat habitat from future urban development. These provisions include controls over fixed lighting associated with urban development as well as a building setback from the boundary of Significant Bat Habitat Areas.
- It will include more details around the location of higher density areas and identification of the indicative transport corridor including proposed public transport routes.
- It identifies the indicative location of stormwater wetlands and areas of future open space.
- It also introduces a new infrastructure and staging plan for the Peacocke Structure Plan Area.
What this Plan won't do
There are some things that we can't change as they are already under way. This includes the alignment of the Hamilton Southern Links transport network, which was decided through an extensive community engagement process over four years. We also can't change developments that have already been granted consent, proposed locations for infrastructure and the location of some community facilities which are currently being designated.
Where are we now?
Over the past 12 months, we sought feedback and made some changes to the proposed provisions. We have now publicly notified Plan Change 5 and welcome submissions on the proposed provisions until 5 November 2021. Following the submission period, a summary of the submissions will be made available.
Helpful links
How do I make a submission?
Online at hamilton.govt.nz/haveyoursay
Email your submission to haveyoursay@hcc.govt.nz
Drop off your submission to Hamilton City Council Municipal Building
Post it to:
Freepost 17218
Hamilton City Council
Private Bag 3010
Hamilton 3240
Attn: Plan Change 5 Submission
Privacy statement
The Local Government Act 2002 requires submissions to be made available to the public. Your name and/or organisation will be published with your submission and made available in a report to elected members and to the public. Other personal information supplied will be used for administration and reporting purposes only. Please refer to Council's Privacy Statement at hamilton.govt.nz for further information.
Key features of the plan change
Key elements of the proposed Plan are covered in this document and outlined below. The full proposed provisions are available to view at the end of this page.
Amend the following Chapters:
Amend the following City-wide chapters:
25.2 Earthworks and Vegetation Removal
| Manage earthworks in the Peacocke Structure Plan in a manner that enabling higher density development to occur while considering the natural topography of the Peacocke area.
|
25.6 Lighting and Glare
| Manage lighting and glare in the Peacocke Structure Plan within the Significant Bat Habitat Area specifically in relation to effects of the Long-tail Bat.
|
Amend the following Appendices:
Where can I view Plan Change 5?
The easiest way to view the proposed provisions is by clicking on the links in the below table.