Coastal Environment Plan Change

The Coastal Environment Plan Change will ensure the District Plan meets Resource Management Act 1991 requirements relating to district plans and coastal matters.

Some of those requirements are set out in Section 75 of the RMA, which states that the plan change must:

• give effect to the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement 2010, any national policy statement, the national planning standards, and the regional policy statement
• not be inconsistent with the regional plan.

Approach being taken

The programme of work for this Plan Change provides for:

A process to review the science:

In advance of formally developing a Plan Change for notification, this year (2025) an independent science panel will be engaged to review existing coastal hazard risk science (including Council-commissioned and community-commissioned science) and make recommendations to Council on the best way forward. This will involve working alongside the Coastal Ratepayers United (CRU) community group, and other key interested parties, to ensure continued community input to developing an appropriate evidential platform for our next steps.

Preparing a proposal for notification:

Following clarification of the best way forward regarding the science, a draft proposal for the Plan Change will be developed. The work programme provides for multiple points for consultation through targeted and wider public feedback on the draft Plan Change before public notification occurs.

The public notification for this Plan Change is scheduled for late 2026, ensuring that there is a range of opportunities for anyone to get involved and to have their say by making a submission and, if desired, speaking to an independent hearings panel about their thoughts and/or concerns.

Details about the phased work programme for this Plan Change were endorsed by the Council’s Strategy, Operations and Finance Committee on 10 April 2025 (refer to “District Plan: approach for review of coastal provisions”).  If you have any further questions about this Plan Change, please email our District Planning team.

Timeline

Completed:

• 30 January 2025 – Council approved commencing a review of the coastal provisions in the Operative Kapiti Coast District Plan (see item 10.1 on agenda)
• 10 April 2025 – Council approved scope and timing of the coastal plan change (see item 9.1 on agenda)

Future:

• Mid 2026 (date TBC) – Public feedback sought on a draft plan change
• Late 2026 (date TBC) – Public notification of the proposed plan change for submissions
• 2027 (date TBC) – Public hearing of submissions