The City Plan has been available online since 21 November 2005. It replaced the Transitional Plans prepared by the various local authorities that became part of the enlarged City in 1989. Transition plans and copies of the district scheme of the former Christchurch City, Banks Peninsula, Waimairi District, Heathcote County, Riccarton Borough and part of Eyre County and Paparua County can be obtained from the service centres and libraries.
Background
The City Plan is possibly the largest single plan preparation exercise ever undertaken in New Zealand, and affects 8 per cent of the country's population. With the extensive rights of submission and reference available to the public and affected persons, the preparation of the Plan is a lengthy process.
Work on the City Plan began in 1990. It was publicly notified in June 1995 and subsequently 4310 submissions and 12,000 further submissions were heard by the Council. In May 1999, the Council issued its decisions on most of the submissions (a very small number of outstanding matters remain to be resolved).
Over 350 appeals were lodged with the Environment Court on the Council's decisions. Only a few appeals remain unresolved. The Environment Court Hearings process, and the timing of its hearings and decisions, is entirely at the discretion of the Court. The Council does not administer this process.
The Council made the plan operative on 21 November 2005. Unresolved appeals and variations to the plan that have not been completed will not be made operative until they are completely beyond challenge.
Present status
At the present time, most developments must comply with both the City Plan and the Transitional Operative Plans (i.e. the Plans prepared prior to amalgamation in 1989 for Christchurch, Waimairi, Paparua, etc). Once a provision in the City Plan is beyond the point where it is subject to any submissions or references, no weight is given to the old Transitional Plans. If a resource consent is required, the weight given to the Transitional Plan will depend on whether any related parts of the Proposed Plan have finally been resolved. If in doubt, an inquiry should be made to a member of the Council's planning staff.
Plan changes
A Plan Change is a process whereby the Council may amend any part of the plan. It involves a process of consultation, submission, hearings (if required) Council decision, and a right of appeal to the Environment Court. Once a decision is issued on a Plan Change, the Council may make the Plan Change operative.
Staff at the City Plan Section, Christchurch City Council, can provide further information on these matters.
