Rural-Residential Land Use Strategy Discussion Document - May

The existing rural-residential areas of Aokautere-Parklands, Moonshine Valley and Aokautere Rural-
Residential are quite close to the well-established residential suburb of Summerhill. In comparison, the
Rural Residential Overlay Areas are usually at a greater distance from the City’s urban environment.
Increases in the volumes of traffic movements, new roading, houses and plantings have the potential
to affect the look and feel of rural areas. The Rural Residential Land Use Strategy will review the overall
management approach for our rural areas and provide more direction on the location, quality and
character of rural-residential development.
At the end of 2009, the City had a potential total land area of 11206.49ha 4 identified for ruralresidential
development. Beyond the Overlay Area, there is an additional landbank of 2583.66ha 5 , which
is ‘consented’ for rural-residential development.
Development principles: different environments, scales and pressures
Each existing rural-residential area has its own set of planning provisions that generally relate to
development issues and on-site servicing arrangements.
The existing Rural Zone provisions preserve productive rural holdings although some rural subdivision
allows smaller holdings (four hectares) to establish, subject to specific development criteria. In the Rural
Residential Overlay Areas where land typically has poorer soils, rural-residential development for smaller
one hectare lots is possible.
Planning provisions for rural residential developments, as noted in Map 1, have created a dispersed
settlement pattern with development changing the rural character of some areas and the open vistas
typical on the Manawatu Plains. It may also make it difficult to return the land to full agricultural
production, should economic changes make this more desirable in the future.
The Rural Residential Land Use Strategy will focus on the long-term strategic direction for rural-residential
development and the subdivision and planning rules in the District Plan that cover subdivision, building
and land development activities, in rural environments.
Different planning perspectives
Rural-residential living has become a more popular lifestyle choice in the past two decades. However, providing
for growth and meeting ongoing demands for this type and form of living can come at a high cost:
• Ongoing subdivision of rural land can threaten the overall productivity of the Rural Zone and
undermine one of the City’s key strategic and competitive advantages - a high quality food supply
at its doorstep.
• Undermine a strong rural sector.
• Lifestyle blocks can have adverse effects on rural landscapes. Often rural-residential developments
occur in attractive, or near sensitive, landscapes, such as adjacent to water and native bush.
• There is potential for reduced environmental outcomes in some rural areas if onsite systems, for
example effluent disposal beds, are not well maintained.
4
Parkland/Moonshine/Aokautere Rural Residential Areas and the Overlay Area.
5
Consented Rural Residential landbank.
7