WAIKATO DISTRICT COUNCIL Report and Decisions of the Waikato District Plan Hearings Panel REPORT 2 Ohinewai Rezoning 24 May 2021 Commissioners Dr Phil Mitchell (Chair) Mr Paul Cooney (Deputy Chair) Mr Dynes Fulton Mr Weo Maag Page | 1 Decision Report 2: Ohinewai Rezoning Report and Decisions of the Waikato District Plan Hearings Panel Page | 2 Decision Report 2: Ohinewai Rezoning Report and Decisions of the Waikato District Plan Hearings Panel TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 5 2 The APL submission ...................................................................................................................... 9 3 Statutory and planning framework ............................................................................................ 15 4 Site suitability and physical characteristics ............................................................................... 18 5 Three Waters Infrastructure ...................................................................................................... 20 6 Natural hazards ........................................................................................................................... 24 7 Transport and traffic ................................................................................................................... 26 8 Economic effects .......................................................................................................................... 35 9 Cultural effects ............................................................................................................................. 37 10 Social Impacts .............................................................................................................................. 39 11 Residential component ................................................................................................................ 43 12 Acoustic effects ............................................................................................................................ 47 13 Ecological effects .......................................................................................................................... 49 14 Coal mining .................................................................................................................................. 52 15 Urban Design ............................................................................................................................... 53 16 Landscape and visual effects ....................................................................................................... 55 17 Other infrastructure .................................................................................................................... 56 18 Cumulative and precedent effects .............................................................................................. 57 19 Is there an obligation to consider alternative sites? .................................................................. 58 20 District Plan Provisions ............................................................................................................... 60 21 Statutory tests ............................................................................................................................. 70 22 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 95 23 Decision ........................................................................................................................................ 96 APPENDIX 1 – PARTICIPANTS IN THE HEARING ...................................................................... 97 APPENDIX 2 – DECISION ON SUBMISSIONS AND FURTHER SUBMISSIONS ...................... 99 APPENDIX 3 – DISTRICT PLAN MAP ........................................................................................... 103 APPENDIX 4 – DISTRICT PLAN PROVISIONS FOR OHINEWAI ............................................. 104 APPENDIX 5 - SECTION 32AA EVALUATION ........................................................................... 105 Page | 3 Decision Report 2: Ohinewai Rezoning Report and Decisions of the Waikato District Plan Hearings Panel GLOSSARY OF TERMS APL Ambury Properties Limited Council Waikato District Council Huntly WWTP Huntly wastewater treatment plant NPS-UD National Policy Statement on Urban Development 2020 OLL Ohinewai Lands Limited Panel The Waikato District Plan Hearings Panel PDP Proposed Waikato District Plan TCG New Zealand Comfort Group Ltd RL Reduced Level RMA Resource Management Act RPS Waikato Regional Policy Statement Waka Kotahi Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency WRC Waikato Regional Council Page | 4 Decision Report 2: Ohinewai Rezoning Report and Decisions of the Waikato District Plan Hearings Panel PART 1 - INTRODUCTION 1 Introduction 1.1 Background 1. Stage 1 of the Proposed Waikato District Plan (PDP) was notified on 18 July 2018. This encompassed the review of all provisions of the Operative Waikato District Plan, except natural hazards and climate change matters, which form part of Stage 2 of the review. Stage 2 of the PDP was notified on 27 July 2020 and the hearing of submissions is imminent. 2. In accordance with section 34A(1) of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA), the Waikato District Council (Council) appointed a seven-member Independent Commissioners Hearings Panel (the Panel) to hear and make decisions on the submissions on the PDP. While seven commissioners were appointed to hear and decide the PDP, a subset of four commissioners were tasked to hear and decide the submissions seeking rezoning of Ohinewai: a. Dr Phil Mitchell (Chair) b. Mr Paul Cooney (Deputy Chair) c. Mr Dynes Fulton d. Mr Weo Maag 3. This Decision addresses submissions seeking the rezoning of land at Ohinewai. Ohinewai is located on the eastern banks of the Waikato River, 9km north of Huntly and has a population of approximately 245. The existing development at Ohinewai comprises largely rural land uses and is dissected by the Waikato Expressway and the North Island Main Trunk railway line which run parallel. There is significant dairy and dry stock farming on the eastern side of the Waikato Expressway, as well as smaller lifestyle rural uses with nine dwellings (zoned Village Zone in the PDP) located on the eastern side of Lumsden Road, ranging from 1550m2 to 5ha in size. Lake Rotokawau Reserve is located on the eastern side also. The more residential part of Ohinewai Village is located on the western side of the Waikato Expressway. It includes the Ohinewai Community Hall, Ohinewai Primary School, former commercial buildings which are now disused, an industrial yard, residential properties on sections in the order of 1000m2 and a range of rural activities including greenhouses and an orchard. In the wider Ohinewai area there are large industrial uses including a sawmill, transportable house construction and house relocation companies. 1.2 Primary Submissions 4. At the close of submissions on 9 October 2018, Council received over 300 submissions seeking some form of rezoning in the district. Seven submissions addressing the zoning at Ohinewai were received from the following submitters: a. Ambury Properties Limited [764]; b. Planning Focus Limited [383]; c. Shand Properties Limited [738]; Page | 5 Decision Report 2: Ohinewai Rezoning Report and Decisions of the Waikato District Plan Hearings Panel d. Ohinewai Land Limited [428]; e. Ohinewai Area Committee [793]; f. PLB Construction [804]; and g. Ribbonwood Family Trust [863]. 5. Planning Focus Limited [383.1] withdrew its submission on 16 March 2020, and consequently we have not considered that submission, nor any associated further submissions. 6. The submissions seeking a change of zoning in and around Ohinewai could result in a significant change of land use from the current predominantly rural uses. The most detailed proposal was from Ambury Properties Limited (APL), for 178ha of land bounded by Lumsden Road, Tahuna Road and Balemi Road. This is referred to throughout this decision as ‘the APL Proposal’ and includes the introduction of urban zones, an Ohinewai Structure Plan and customised plan provisions applying to Ohinewai. Although the proposal evolved considerably between the time that the submission was lodged on 9 October 2018 until the closing statement from APL’s legal counsel was lodged with the Council on 23 September 2020, the proposal fundamentally comprises of a mix of urban zones and uses: a. 68ha of industrial zoned land, including 37ha for the TCG Sleepyhead factory; b. 13ha of business / commercial zoned land for a service station, discount factory outlet shops, community facilities and a small amount of convenience retail; c. 52ha of residential land for up to 1100 homes; and d. 55ha of public open space including stormwater management areas, recreational facilities, ecological enhancement areas and other community areas.1 7. Directly south of the APL Proposal and also on rural land, Ohinewai Lands Limited (OLL) sought that a further growth area (39ha) be signalled within the Ohinewai Structure Plan proposed by APL (‘the OLL Proposal’). No ‘live’ zoning was sought at this stage, with the intent being to allow for future low density residential use and open space by way of a future plan change. 8. Shand Properties and Ribbonwood Family