Process once submissions are received

The process for public participation in the consideration of the proposal under the Act is as follows:

• after the closing date for submission, Rotorua Lakes Council must prepare a summary of decisions requested by submitters and give public notice of the where this information can be inspected; and
• there must be an opportunity for the following persons to make a further submission in support of, or in opposition to, the submissions already made: 1) any person representing a relevant aspect of the public interest; 2) any person who has an interest in the proposal greater than the general public has; 3) the local authority itself; and
• if a person making a submission asks to be heard in support of his or her submission, a hearing must be held; and
• Rotorua Lakes Council must give its decision on the provisions and matters raised in the submissions (including its reasons for accepting or rejecting submissions) and give public notice of its decision within two years of notifying the proposal and serve it on every person who made a submission at the same time; and
• any person who has made a submission has the right to appeal against the decision on the proposal to the Environment Court if, in relation to a provision or matter that is the subject of the appeal, the person referred to the provision or matter in the person's submission on the proposal; and in the case of a proposal that is a proposed policy statement or plan, the appeal does not seek the withdrawal of the proposal as a whole.