The 'Area-based plan'

Description

The area management approach could best be thought of as a series of plans rather than a single plan. Each ‘sub-plan’ covers a particular geographic area that may have been delineated from others by physical, geographic, political, ecological, or historical characteristics.

Each ‘sub-plan’ could be developed at the same time as the others, or sequentially. They may be identical in layout and organisation or could differ in approach as a reflection of the characteristics of the area being planned for, or as each new plan builds on lessons in previous plans (as demonstrated here).

Sample organisation

Management Area 1 Coast	Management Area 2 Plains	Management Area 3 Hills
Introduction Contents How to use this plan General Resource Management Issues Objectives Policies Rules Development Controls Definitions Rules Noise, Signs and Lighting Issues Objectives and policies Anticipated results Methods Rules Financial Contributions Issues Objectives and policies Anticipated results Methods Rules Transportation Issues Objectives and policies Anticipated results Methods Rules Appendices Maps	Introduction Contents How to use this plan Town Centre Zone Issues Objectives Policies Methods Rules Anticipated results Rural Zone Issues Objectives Policies Methods Rules Anticipated results Residential Zone Issues Objectives Policies Methods Rules Anticipated results Definitions General Provisions Heritage provisions Network utilities Transportation Appendices Maps	Introduction Contents How to use this plan Resource Management Issue 1 Issue statement Objectives Policies Methods Rules Anticipated Environmental results Resource Management Issue 2 Issue statement Objectives Policies Methods Rules Anticipated Environmental results Resource Management Issue 3 Issue statement Objectives Policies Methods Rules Anticipated environmental results Definitions General Provisions Appendices Maps

Advantages

• Lessons learnt from the first sub-plans to be developed can be applied to subsequent sub-plans.
• The size of each sub-plan can be relatively small as each sub-plan does not need to contain the provisions that relate solely to the other sub-plans.
• Challenges made to a sub-plan in one area may not affect the sub-plans of other areas (so the unaffected sub-plans may be operative earlier).
• Each sub-plan could be produced quicker than a single large plan (less provisions to be included in each sub-plan, and also less material open to challenge).
• Better able to reflect local interest and attitudes (each sub-plan can adopt local variations to provisions without the need for a complex series of sub-zones, policy areas, or rule exceptions).

Disadvantages

• Each plan may adopt a different style, format, internal organisation, or way of expressing provisions (thereby increasing overall complexity of administration).
• May be difficult to integrate or promote standardised approaches that cross the boundaries administered by several sub-plans.
• The environmental management of some areas may lag behind others (due to some sub-plans being proposed or made operative ahead of others working under older, previous, plans). This may result in inconsistencies in policy frameworks, desired outcomes, or a poor level of integration in responding to district / region wide issues.
• Vulnerability to conflicting (or misalignment of) desired outcomes and provisions at the interface where the area administered by one sub-plan abuts another.
• May be more complex to administer for the consent authority if staff are based in a central office (they may need to have intimate knowledge of several sub-plans and how each works).
• Using a definition section for each sub-plan may cause inconsistencies and confusion.

Example plans

The Auckland City Council first generation district plan is split into three:

1. Central Area
2. Hauraki Gulf Islands
3. Isthmus

At one point it was proposed that the Napier City Plan would consist of four or more sections or sub-plans:

1. The Ahuriri Subdistrict Plan:
2. Proposed City of Napier District Plan:
3. The Bay View Subdistrict Plan
4. Western Hills Subdistrict Plan

The Napier District Plan (as shown on the Napier City Council website) now consists of the Ahuriri plan and the Napier City Plan.