Zoning for housing and business

Providing for growth


Urban planners Mya Bengosi and Jeremy Butler answer questions raised during the information campaign about Draft Change 1 to the Regional Policy Statement and Draft Change 81 to Tasman Resource Management Plan in a two-part podcast series. Listen/download the podcast on PodBean or Apple Podcasts, search Click to Play TDC Environmental Policy.

Providing for growth

  • Nelson Tasman Future Development Strategy 2022 – 2052 (FDS) identified the opportunity to consolidate growth along the State Highway 6 corridor from Atawhai to Wakefield while also providing growth opportunities in Motueka and Māpua and some of Tasman’s rural towns which are facing shortages of housing or business land.
  • Starting a Plan Change which will rezone some of the FDS sites to provide more land for housing and business, and make it easier to build up in some of our towns. Some sites will be zoned deferred until services are available.
  • Regional Policy Statement (RPS) Change 1 proposes amendments that align with the Plan Change 81 objectives. This also includes amendments to help with unanticipated or out-of-sequence development proposals.

Housing and business options

Work is now underway to prepare the draft Urban Growth Plan Change 81 to the Tasman Resource Management Plan. Plan Change 81 will ensure:

  • Sufficient residential and business land capacity for at least the next 10 years.
  • These new locations develop into high-quality living and working environments.
  • A more diverse range of housing options and living environments and provide for more business land where it is short.

Plan Change 81 identifies nine towns where zoning more land for housing and business is proposed: Richmond, Wakefield, Brightwater, Motueka, Moutere, St Arnaud (Tophouse), Tapawera, Tākaka and Murchison. A new Medium Density Residential Zone is proposed for central Richmond, Brightwater, Wakefield and potentially Motueka and Tākaka, to provide for intensification of existing built-up areas.

The plan change excludes rezoning land in Māpua where a Masterplan is in process, and Collingwood, where capacity above the already zoned land is not needed within the next 10 years.



District-wide plan change drop-in sessions

During April, we’re hosting a series of drop-in sessions across Tasman to discuss the draft Plan Changes. Here, you can talk to our planners and technical staff about both urban growth and natural hazards and ask any questions you may have.

We’ve taken this approach to increase accessibility, encourage broader community input and open up discussion on multiple aspects of Tasman's future development at one event. Check out the dates and times here.

Click the "Follow" button at the top of this page to be updated with future news, information, and engagement opportunities.

Email us at environmentplan@tasman.govt.nz if you have any questions.

Commonly used terms

Tasman Resource Management Plan: This is the “District Plan” that contains the planning rules and policies for how we can use our land and resources. It contains zones – for example, Residential Zone or Rural Zone – which identify the intended use of that land.

Draft plan change: This is a change to the Tasman Resource Management Plan. It is a public process requiring research, evaluation, drafting and consultation. The changes can be made to the maps (e.g. rezoning) or the words of the plan. If a plan change is “draft” then it is still being developed and worked on prior to formal notification.

Engagement: This is just an early “heads up” and an indication of the content. We will be engaging on a draft of Plan Change 81 and Change to the Regional Policy Statement in early 2025. You will be sent further information at that time.

Regional Policy Statement: Sets out the framework and priorities for resource management of natural and physical resources in the region.

Medium Density Residential Zone (MDRZ): allows for the development of housing with moderate density such as apartments and townhouses and detached homes with smaller lots than those in low density zones.