Auckland Council’s Auckland Development Committee has voted to maintain its current position on volcanic viewshafts and height sensitive areas before the Auckland Unitary Plan Independent Hearings Panel.
The committee considered a proposal on 22 March to remove six volcanic viewshafts from the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan and reclassify three viewshafts as locally significant prior to mediation before the Independent Hearings Panel.
Under the PAUP, there are 87 proposed viewshafts, the majority of which were rolled over from the operative district plans of the legacy councils.
The committee’s decision will mean council will maintain its current position on volcanic viewshafts and height sensitive areas as it heads into mediation on April 5.
The council is required to attend the mediation along with any other submitters on the topic who want to attend.
As with all Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan issues being considered by the council at this point in the hearings process, the council is not making any final decisions.
Final decisions will not be made until the council receives the Panel’s recommendations in July this year.
