Draft District Plan
Have your say
Click on the link below to view the Draft District Plan and make your submission! Submissions close 14th December.
We're consulting on our Draft District Plan
Wellington’s Draft District Plan – the City’s first fully revised planning rulebook in more than 20 years is now out for consultation.
The plan deals with the major planning and environmental issues facing the city – including housing supply, choice and affordability, protecting biodiversity, integrating growth and infrastructure, responding to climate change and managing the risk of natural hazards.
What's on this page
Why are we reviewing the District Plan?
Looking for a quick snapshot of what's in the Draft District Plan?
What does the Government's recent announcement on housing mean for the District Plan Review?
How to make a submission
There are a couple of different ways you can provide feedback on the Draft District Plan.
- You can make a submission directly through the Draft District Plan. This is a great way to provide feedback on specific provisions within the Plan and makes it easy for us to understand your feedback.
- A fast way to provide broader-level feedback is through the information sheets found on this page under the Draft District Plan snapshots. Scan the QR code or follow the URL link on each information sheet to access a short questionnaire related to the topic.
- If you prefer to provide feedback through email or on paper, fill out our PDF feedback form.
How-to PDF guides
The PDF guides show you how to use and navigate the Draft District Plan as well as how to make an account and submit feedback on the Draft District Plan. Alternatively, watch the videos below.
How to navigate and read the Draft District Plan
Watch this video for a step-by-step guide on how to navigate and read the Draft District Plan.
How to make a submission on the Draft District Plan
Watch this video for a step-by-step guide on how to make an account and lodge a submission on the Draft District Plan.
We have a friend of submitters service to help
We understand that RMA processes can be a little daunting so a 'Friend of Submitters', Emily Bayliss, will be available through the consultation period to assist submitters. Emily will continue to be available to help submitters in the lead-up to the hearings.
Emily is a qualified planner who is fully independent and has had no involvement in developing the Draft District Plan. A brief introduction from Emily is available here.
To contact Emily for assistance please email friendofsubmitters@wcc.govt.nz or phone 027 803 0080.
The Friend of Submitters service is provided by the Council to remove barriers and foster participation in the District Plan review process.
Come and talk to us
Consultation roadshow and launch event
The Draft District Plan consultation will happen alongside consultation for the Council’s Bike Network and Let's Get Wellington Moving's mass rapid transit options.
We will be visiting communities and seeking feedback. The consultation will open on 2nd November, and close on 14th December.
Why are we reviewing the District Plan?
The current District Plan came into effect in 2000. Some changes and revisions have been made since then through plan changes and updates, but our district has changed a lot over the years and the current District Plan is out of date.
We need to make sure that our new District Plan gives effect to all the national policies and regulations that have come into force since the last District Plan was prepared. We are also required by the Resource Management Act 1991 to review our District Plan every 10 years.
Find out more in this explainer pamphlet.
Looking for a quick snapshot of what's in the Draft District Plan?
Click through the topics below to find helpful summaries and links to where you can find related content in the Draft District Plan.
To access a PDF of all the information sheet with links to the survey questions, click here.
The Draft District Plan contains a Strategic Direction Chapter that outlines the strategic priorities for Wellington City. The strategic objectives will have an important role in the assessment of complex resource consents and future plan changes. They are a touchpoint of the values we uphold for our city and the legacy we want to leave for future generations.
Want to find the relevant parts of the District Plan?
- Strategic Direction: Anga Whakamua - Moving into the future for strategic objectives relating to tangata whenua/mana whenua.
- Strategic Direction: Capital City for strategic objectives relating to the role of Wellington as the nation's capital.
- Strategic Direction: City Economy, Knowledge and Prosperity for strategic objectives relating to the City's commercial areas and their roles in the City and the Region.
- Strategic Direction: Historic Heritage and Sites and Areas of Significance to Māori for strategic objectives relating to historical and cultural heritage.
- Strategic Direction : Natural Environment for strategic objectives relating to the natural environment.
- Strategic Direction: Strategic City Assets and Infrastructure for strategic objectives relating to infrastructure in Wellington.
- Strategic Direction: Sustainability, Resilience and Climate Change for strategic objectives relating to natural hazards and resilience.
- Strategic Direction: Urban Form and Development for strategic objectives relating to housing and development.
Māori values and aspirations are included in the District Plan to recognise and elevate the relationship of tangata whenua with their land, resources and traditions.
Tangata Whenua information sheet
Want to find the relevant parts of the District Plan?
- Tangata Whenua chapter for recognition of iwi and hapū, environmental outcomes, tangata whenua / mana whenua – local authority relationships, hapū and iwi planning documents, involvement and participation with tangata whenua/mana whenua.
- Strategic Direction: Anga Whakamua - Moving into the future for strategic objectives relating to tangata whenua/mana whenua.
The Draft District Plan is an important tool to help realise our Te Atakura – First to Zero, a Council policy to reduce net carbon emissions to zero by 2050.
Climate Change and Sustainability information sheet
Want to find the relevant parts of the District Plan?
- Strategic Direction: Sustainability, Resilience and Climate Change for strategic objectives relating to natural hazards and resilience.
- Strategic Direction: Urban Form and Development for strategic objectives relating to housing and development.
- Transport chapter for hierarchy of transport and requirements for bike parking
- Renewable Energy chapter for provisions relating to renewable energy
- Medium Density Residential chapter for incentives to increase resilience to climate change and reduce carbon emissions of buildings
- Neighbourhood, Local, Metropolitan and Centre City chapters for incentives to increase resilience to climate change and reduce carbon emissions of buildings
- Centres and Mixed Use, Residential, and Subdivision Design Guides for guidelines on how to develop sustainably.
A well-functioning Three Waters infrastructure network (drinking water, wastewater and stormwater) is crucial to the health and wellbeing of our city.
Want to find the relevant parts of the District Plan?
- Three Waters for provisions on Three Waters.
- Strategic Direction: Strategic City Assets and Infrastructure for strategic objectives relating to the City's infrastructure.
Related information
We have natural treasures in our backyard that we want to protect for future generations.
Natural Environment information sheet
Want to find the relevant parts of the District Plan?
- Strategic Direction: Natural Environment for strategic objectives relating to natural environment.
- Ecosystems and Indigenous Biodiversity for provisions relating to significant natural areas.
- Natural Character for provisions relating to the protection of natural character values of rivers and their margins.
- Natural Features and Landscapes for provisions relating the management of the effects of activities on the identified Outstanding Natural Features and Landscapes (ONFL), Special Amenity Landscapes (SAL), and Ridgelines and Hilltops
- Public Access for provisions relating to public access to, adjacent to, and along the coastal environment, lakes, and rivers.
- Coastal Environment for provisions relating to the management of effects on the coastal environment.
Related information
Over the past year we have been investigating and updating our information on natural hazards in Wellington. This work has been vital for informing the Draft District Plan and we are now proposing a much more proactive approach to preparing and dealing with natural hazards in our city.
Natural Hazards information sheet
Want to find the relevant parts of the District Plan?
- Strategic Direction: Sustainability, Resilience and Climate Change for strategic objectives relating to natural hazards and resilience.
- Contaminated Land for objectives and policies relating to contaminated land.
- Hazardous Substances for provisions relating to treatment of hazardous substances.
- Natural Hazards for provisions relating to natural hazards, including flooding, fault rupture, liquefaction, tsunami, slope instability, coastal inundation and coastal erosion.
Related Information
Over the past year we have been investigating and updating our information on natural hazards in Wellington. This work has been vital for informing the Draft District Plan. The hazard and risk overlays in the Draft District Plan are based on the five reports provided here. We recommend the overlays are viewed in conjunction with these reports.
Please note that these reports are:
- nonspecific to any particular properties
- subject to public consultation and a statutory process before they are finalised
- based on a number of assumptions, scenarios and probabilities which may affect the findings of the reports
Sea-Level Rise Projections - March 2021
Coastal Hazards Report - August 2021
Tsunami Hazards Report - September 2021
Providing care and kaitiakitanga for sites and areas of significance to Māori enables connections to our tūpuna ancestors, who lived before us.
Sites and Areas of Significance to Māori information sheet
Want to find the relevant parts of the District Plan?
- Sites and Areas of Significance to Māori for provisions relating to the protection of sites and areas of significance to Māori.
- SCHED7 – Sites and Areas of Significance to Māori for the list of identified sites and areas.
- Tangata Whenua chapter for recognition of iwi and hapū, environmental outcomes, tangata whenua / mana whenua – local authority relationships, hapū and iwi planning documents, involvement and participation with tangata whenua/mana whenua.
- Strategic Direction: Anga Whakamua - Moving into the future for strategic objectives relating to tangata whenua/mana whenua.
Our tuku ihotanga heritage connect secures our memories of the past, giving meaning to our special places and connecting people to their stories across time. It plays a key role in shaping the city’s identity and supporting community wellbeing.
Want to find the relevant parts of the District Plan?
- Strategic Direction: Historic Heritage and Sites and Areas of Significance to Māori for strategic objectives relating to historical and cultural heritage.
- Historic Heritage for provisions relating to the protection of historic heritage, including heritage buildings, structures, areas and archaeological sites.
- Notable Trees for provisions relating to the protection of notable trees.
- Viewshafts for provisions relating to the protection of viewshafts through the centre city.
- SCHED1 – Heritage Buildings
- SCHED2 – Heritage Structures
- SCHED3 – Heritage Areas
- SCHED4 – Archaeological Sites
- SCHED5 – Viewshafts
- SCHED6 – Notable Trees
The City Centre plays a vital role as the vibrant heart of our city.
Want to find the relevant parts of the District Plan?
- City Centre Zone for provisions applying to the city centre zone.
- Strategic Directives: City Economy, Knowledge and Prosperity for strategic objectives relating to the City Centre's role in the City and the Region.
- Strategic Directives: Urban Form and Development for strategic objectives relating the City's development.
Suburban centres, industrial and mixed-use areas are vital contributors to the vibrancy and continued economic and social wellbeing of our city.
Centres and Business information sheet
Want to find the relevant parts of the District Plan?
- Strategic Direction: City Economy, Knowledge and Prosperity for strategic objectives relating to the City's commercial areas and their roles in the City and the Region.
- Neighbourhood Centre Zone chapter for provisions related to the Neighbourhood Centre Zone
- Local Centre Zone chapter for provisions related to the Local Centre Zone
- Metropolitan Centre Zone chapter for provisions related to the Metropolitan Centre Zone
- Mixed Use Zone chapter for provisions related to the Mixed Use Zone
- Commercial Zone chapter for provisions related to the Commercial Zone
- Centres and Mixed Use Design Guide for guidelines for Mixed Use and Centre Zones.
Residential areas manage the neighbourhoods where we live, what we can do there, and how houses are built.
Want to find the relevant parts of the District Plan?
- Strategic Direction: Sustainability, Resilience and Climate Change for strategic objectives relating to natural hazards and resilience.
- General Residential Zone for objectives and policies relating to General Residential Zone.
- Medium Density Residential Zone for provisions relating to Medium Density Residential Zone.
- Large Lot Zone for provisions relating to Large Lot Zone.
Related Information
We want to increase the supply of secure, quality housing for low to moderate income households.
Assisted Housing information sheet
Want to find the relevant parts of the District Plan?
- Strategic Direction: Urban Form and Development for strategic objectives relating to housing and development.
- Assisted Housing for objectives and policies relating to Assisted Housing.
Design guides outline how to develop quality homes and urban environments that are compact, attractive, functional and inclusive.
Design Guides information sheet
Want to find the relevant parts of the District Plan?
- Strategic Direction: Urban Form and Development for strategic objectives relating to housing and development.
- Strategic Direction: Sustainability, Resilience and Climate Change for strategic objectives relating to natural hazards and resilience.
- Design Guides: Information for providing principles and outcomes for the design guides.
- Design Guides: Centres and Mixed Use for design direction for City Centre Zone, Metropolitan Centre Zone, Local Centre Zone, Neighbourhood Centre Zone, and Mixed Use Zone.
- Design Guides: Residential for Character Precincts, Coastal Edge, Oriental Bay, Mount Victoria North and Papakāinga.
- Design Guides: Heritage for Sites and Areas of Significance to Māori, and Historic Heritage.
- Design Guides: Signs for the design provisions around signs.
- Design Guides: Subdivision for design provisions around subdivision
- Design Guides: Rural for design provisions around managing rural land.
Character housing areas (precincts) are valued for their contribution to Wellington’s sense of place and identity.
Character Housing Areas information sheet
Want to find the relevant parts of the District Plan?
- Strategic Direction: Urban Form and Development for strategic objectives relating to housing and development.
- Medium Density Residential Zone for provisions relating to Character Housing Areas in Medium Density Residential Zone.
New Urban Areas are places that are going to change from rural areas to new neighbourhoods
Want to find the relevant parts of the District Plan?
- Strategic Direction: Urban Form and Development for strategic objectives relating to housing and development.
- Development Area: Lincolnshire Farm for provisions for Lincolnshire Farm
- Development Area: Upper Stebbings and Glenside West for provisions for Upper Stebbings and Glenside West.
Related Information
- Upper Stebbings and Glenside West Development Project for information on the development of Upper Stebbings and Glenside West
Our Open Spaces and Rural Areas cover most of the land area of our City.
Open Spaces and Rural Areas information sheet
Want to find the relevant parts of the District Plan?
- Strategic Direction : Natural Environment for strategic objectives relating to the natural environment.
- General Rural Zone for provisions applying to the General Rural Zone.
- Natural Open Space Zone for provisions applying to the Natural Open Space Zone.
- Open Space Zone for provisions applying to the Open Space Zone.
- Sport and Active Recreation Zone for provisions applying to the Sport and Active Recreation Zone.
- Wellington Town Belt Zone for provisions applying to the Wellington Town Belt.
What does the Government's recent announcement on housing mean for the District Plan Review?
Medium density residential standards
On 20 October 2021, the Government has proposed new Medium Density Residential Standards (MDRS) that must be incorporated into the District Plan. They are contained in the Resource Management (Enabling Housing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill.
The standards would permit 3 dwellings up to 3 storeys in height in all residential zones. This would enable higher levels of development than is currently proposed in the Draft District Plan in the General Residential and Medium Density Residential Zones.
The new housing would need to meet prescribed building heights, boundary setbacks and height in relation to boundary, site permeability, site coverage, and outdoor living space controls.
Speeding up the implementation of the National Policy Statement on Urban Development
At the same time, the Government also signalled that the intensification requirements of the NPS-UD will be brought forward by 1 year. This would be achieved through a new Intensification Streamlined Planning Process (ISPP) that requires the NPS-UD intensification requirements (policy 3 of the NPS-UD), plus the new MDRS provisions, to be notified by August 2022 and completed by August 2023. This process would involve submissions and then decisions by an Independent Panel of experts, with no appeals to the Environment Court. The Minister for the Environment will make a determination if the Council disagrees with any of the decisions of the Independent Panel.
What does it mean for the Draft District Plan?
Due to the timing of this Government announcement, the MDRS provisions have not been able to be incorporated into the General Residential Zone and Medium Density Residential Zone in the Draft District Plan.
The Resource Management (Enabling Housing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill is currently before parliament and will be passed by the end of the year. Amendments will need to be made to the Draft District Plan to implement the finalised MDRSs before the Council publicly notifies the Proposed District Plan in the middle of 2022.