Information on the next steps in the process towards finalising the unitary plan has been released by the Auckland Unitary Plan Independent Hearings Panel.
Since September 2014 the Independent Hearings Panel has been hearing public submissions and evidence on the proposed unitary plan with 243 days of hearings held and 10,500 pieces of evidence received.
The panel has advised that, with the independent hearings on the proposed unitary plan to be completed in May 2016, the panel’s recommendations on any changes they think should be made to the Proposed Unitary Plan will be provided to the council no later than 22 July 2016.
The council's process
The process the council must follow in making decisions on the panel’s recommendations is set out in special legislation introduced by the government to guide how Auckland’s new unitary plan would be developed and decided.
Once the panel’s recommendations are received the council has 20 working days to consider and publically notify its decisions on what will be included in the unitary plan. The council’s decisions will be based on the recommendations received from the panel.
On 27 July the Independent Hearings Panel recommendations will be publicly available on the Auckland Council website. This will include a summary document explaining the panel’s recommended changes to the proposed Unitary Plan and an updated recommended version of the plan.
On the 16, 17 and 18 August the council will make its decisions on the recommended unitary plan in public council meetings. Meetings will also be available to watch on the council’s live streaming service.
Unitary Plan key decision-making steps:
- The Independent Hearings Panel is required by law to provide its recommendations on changes to the Proposed Unitary Plan to the council by the 22 July 2016.
- The council then has 20 working days to make and publicly notify its decisions (i.e. by 19 August 2016).
- One extension of no more than 20 working days can be granted but only if the council seeks and obtains the permission of the Minister for the Environment.
- The council must consider the Independent Hearings Panel recommendations and the reasons for those recommendations.
- The council decisions will be to either accept or reject each Independent Hearing Panel recommendation.
- If the council rejects a recommendation it must explain why and provide an alternative solution from within the scope of submissions made on the Proposed Unitary Plan, together with a cost-benefit analysis.
- The council can accept a recommendation outside the scope of public submissions but onlywhere it is recommended by the Independent Hearings Panel. The panel will explain why they have made such recommendations.
- There are rights of appeal for people to the Environment Court but these are on limited grounds
