Plan Change A - Growth Areas

Plan Change A is a proposed change to the Tararua District Plan that rezones land for housing in Dannevirke, Woodville, Pahiatua and Eketāhuna, rezones land for industry at Woodville, Oringi and the Pahiatua Fonterra site, and introduces new rules - the Residential Growth Development Areas (RGDA) and Industrial Growth Development Areas (IGDA) - to guide how those areas develop.

Our towns are effectively out of “free” residential land, and industrial land is in short supply. Independent analysis shows the four main towns will need between 46 and 115 hectares of extra residential land by 2053, depending on how fast we grow. Council's preference is to provide for the higher (aspirational) growth scenario so there is genuine opportunity for development to occur - if the rezoning is too narrow, growth may simply not get underway.

The Government's “Plan Stop” law prevents councils notifying plan changes until 31 December 2027 unless an exemption is granted. Council applied for an exemption for Plan Change A, and on 8 April 2026 the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform approved it in full, recognising that the plan change supports well-planned growth and helps avoid ad hoc subdivision.

On the edges of Dannevirke, Woodville, Pahiatua and Eketāhuna, in locations that logically extend the existing towns and can be connected to services. They are shown on the Proposed Growth Areas maps for each town.

A new greenfield industrial area west of Woodville near the Te Ahu a Turanga highway connection, plus the existing industrial sites at Oringi Business Park and the Pahiatua Fonterra milk factory, which will be rezoned from Rural to Industrial to match how they are already used.

They are new “development area” frameworks that sit on top of the underlying zones:

• The RGDA guides new residential subdivision - street layout and connectivity, housing variety, open space, stormwater management, natural hazards, and making sure water, wastewater and roading are in place when subdivision happens.
• The IGDA guides industrial subdivision and land use - enabling industrial and logistics activities, keeping industrial land for industry, managing effects on neighbours, and providing appropriate servicing (including on-site servicing at Oringi and the Fonterra site, which are not on reticulated networks).

Where the RGDA or IGDA provisions differ from the underlying zone rules, the growth area provisions take precedence.

Yes. Subdivision in an RGDA or IGDA will generally be a restricted discretionary activity - meaning consent is required, but Council's assessment is focused on specific matters like lot layout, staging, infrastructure, stormwater and connections to adjoining land. Where proposals meet the standards, applications are processed without public notification, giving developers a clear and certain pathway.

If Plan Change A proceeds, your zoning may change (for example, from Rural to Residential), and the RGDA or IGDA rules will apply to future subdivision or development. Your existing lawful use of the land can continue - the plan change affects what you can do in future, not what you are doing now. Check the maps, and contact our planning team if you would like to talk it through.

The provisions specifically require new development to manage its effects at the interface with neighbouring rural and residential land, including reverse sensitivity, stormwater and connectivity. You will also be able to make a submission on any aspect of the plan change.

No. Plan Change A does not review or amend the existing District Plan text - that is outside its scope. All existing chapters continue to apply, except where the new RGDA and IGDA provisions expressly take precedence within the growth areas.

No. It is proposed only. It must go through public notification, submissions, a hearing, Council decisions and any appeals before becoming operative. Some rules may have legal effect from notification, depending on the RMA - this will be explained in the notification material.

Once notified (planned for early September 2026), you can submit online, by email or in hard copy. Anyone can make a submission - you don't need to own property in a growth area. There will then be a further submission stage, and submitters can speak at the hearing. Full details will be on the Plan Change A webpage at notification.