District Plan - Plan Change 6 - Holiday Rentals

Consultation has concluded

Notification of Operative Date for Plan Change 6 - Holiday Rentals

Rotorua Lakes Council notifies that Plan Change 6: Holiday Rentals to the District Plan will become operative on 15 October 2018.

The plan change allows smaller holiday rental accommodation to operate without resource consent in residential and rural zones and requires resource consent for larger holiday rental accommodation in these zones.

Council has accepted the commissioners’ recommendations on the plan change and the submissions.

The key changes to the District Plan as a result of these decisions are:

  • Inclusion of a new defined term of holiday rental accommodation and amendments to the definitions of bed and breakfast and tourist accommodation;
  • Addition of holiday rental accommodation in the activity status table;
  • Inclusion of performance standards and assessment criteria for holiday rental accommodation;
  • Default status for holiday rental accommodation that does not comply with the performance standards; and
  • Inclusion of parking standards for holiday rental accommodation.

Relevant documents are available below:

Commissioners’ report adopted by Council, (includes amended District Plan provisions and decisions of submissions

Summary of Submissions

Council's initial evaluation of the Plan Change (Section 32 Report)


Copies of the decision are also available from:

  • Council Offices - 1061 Haupapa Street, Rotorua
  • Rotorua Library - 1127 Haupapa Street, Rotorua


For more information on the Plan Change or the associated process please feel free to contact Council on Ph: 07 348 4199

This notice is given pursuant to Clause 10 and 11 of the First Schedule of the Resource Management Act 1991.

Further submission Documents

Who can make a further submission?

Please note, you can only make a Further Submission if you fall into one of the following categories:

  • Any person representing a relevant aspect of the public interest;
  • Any person that has an interest in the proposed policy statement or plan greater than the interest that the general public has; and
  • The local authority itself.

What can a further submission Address?

A further submission must be limited to a matter in support of or in opposition to the relevant submission. (RMA, 1st Schedule, Clause 8). Within 5 working days of providing the further submission to the Council, a copy must also be served on the person who made the original submission.

Submissions Received

What is the Plan Change 6: Holiday Rentals?

Council is proposing to include new provisions in the District Plan relating to Holiday Rentals (this includes houses that are used for short-term holiday accommodation, e.g. houses let on Book-a-Bach, Air BnB and other similar sites).

The plan change will affect Holiday Rentals within the Residential and Rural Zones.

Recent issues related to the impact of holiday rentals on surrounding neighbourhoods has prompted proposed changes to Rotorua’s District Plan.

Holiday rentals are houses that are let out for short term holiday accommodation, typically on websites such as Book-a-Bach, Air BnB and Holiday Houses. The proposed changes would require holiday rental operators to apply for resource consent if:

  • More than 12 people stay on site per night;

  • If there is inadequate car parking (one car park needs to be provided for every four guests).

The intention of the plan change is to address issues with houses being let to large groups and causing problems relating to noise and parking, and changing the character of an area.

Properties will need to continue to comply with current District Plan noise standards and the Regional Council’s on-site effluent treatment where required.

Most holiday rentals will not require resource consent as they cater for 12 or fewer guests and have not prompted complaints to Council.

If the plan change is approved in its current form, property owners catering for more than 12 guests will have the option of either reducing their guest numbers to meet the District Plan Standards or applying for resource consent.

The plan change will affect holiday rental operators within Rotorua’s residential and rural zones. No changes are proposed for properties within the Lakes A Zone (including lakes Okareka and Tarawera) because the Lakes A rules of the District Plan will be reviewed in future.

Any changes adopted will apply to both existing and new holiday rental operators.


Notification of Operative Date for Plan Change 6 - Holiday Rentals

Rotorua Lakes Council notifies that Plan Change 6: Holiday Rentals to the District Plan will become operative on 15 October 2018.

The plan change allows smaller holiday rental accommodation to operate without resource consent in residential and rural zones and requires resource consent for larger holiday rental accommodation in these zones.

Council has accepted the commissioners’ recommendations on the plan change and the submissions.

The key changes to the District Plan as a result of these decisions are:

  • Inclusion of a new defined term of holiday rental accommodation and amendments to the definitions of bed and breakfast and tourist accommodation;
  • Addition of holiday rental accommodation in the activity status table;
  • Inclusion of performance standards and assessment criteria for holiday rental accommodation;
  • Default status for holiday rental accommodation that does not comply with the performance standards; and
  • Inclusion of parking standards for holiday rental accommodation.

Relevant documents are available below:

Commissioners’ report adopted by Council, (includes amended District Plan provisions and decisions of submissions

Summary of Submissions

Council's initial evaluation of the Plan Change (Section 32 Report)


Copies of the decision are also available from:

  • Council Offices - 1061 Haupapa Street, Rotorua
  • Rotorua Library - 1127 Haupapa Street, Rotorua


For more information on the Plan Change or the associated process please feel free to contact Council on Ph: 07 348 4199

This notice is given pursuant to Clause 10 and 11 of the First Schedule of the Resource Management Act 1991.

Further submission Documents

Who can make a further submission?

Please note, you can only make a Further Submission if you fall into one of the following categories:

  • Any person representing a relevant aspect of the public interest;
  • Any person that has an interest in the proposed policy statement or plan greater than the interest that the general public has; and
  • The local authority itself.

What can a further submission Address?

A further submission must be limited to a matter in support of or in opposition to the relevant submission. (RMA, 1st Schedule, Clause 8). Within 5 working days of providing the further submission to the Council, a copy must also be served on the person who made the original submission.

Submissions Received

What is the Plan Change 6: Holiday Rentals?

Council is proposing to include new provisions in the District Plan relating to Holiday Rentals (this includes houses that are used for short-term holiday accommodation, e.g. houses let on Book-a-Bach, Air BnB and other similar sites).

The plan change will affect Holiday Rentals within the Residential and Rural Zones.

Recent issues related to the impact of holiday rentals on surrounding neighbourhoods has prompted proposed changes to Rotorua’s District Plan.

Holiday rentals are houses that are let out for short term holiday accommodation, typically on websites such as Book-a-Bach, Air BnB and Holiday Houses. The proposed changes would require holiday rental operators to apply for resource consent if:

  • More than 12 people stay on site per night;

  • If there is inadequate car parking (one car park needs to be provided for every four guests).

The intention of the plan change is to address issues with houses being let to large groups and causing problems relating to noise and parking, and changing the character of an area.

Properties will need to continue to comply with current District Plan noise standards and the Regional Council’s on-site effluent treatment where required.

Most holiday rentals will not require resource consent as they cater for 12 or fewer guests and have not prompted complaints to Council.

If the plan change is approved in its current form, property owners catering for more than 12 guests will have the option of either reducing their guest numbers to meet the District Plan Standards or applying for resource consent.

The plan change will affect holiday rental operators within Rotorua’s residential and rural zones. No changes are proposed for properties within the Lakes A Zone (including lakes Okareka and Tarawera) because the Lakes A rules of the District Plan will be reviewed in future.

Any changes adopted will apply to both existing and new holiday rental operators.


Consultation has concluded

  • 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:
    • any person representing a relevant aspect of the public interest;
    • any person who has an interest in the proposal greater than the general public has;
    • 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.

  • Privacy Act and Official Information Act

    Submissions are made under the Resource Management Act 1991. The submissions and the information contained in them will be held by the Rotorua Lakes Council and will also be available at Rotorua Lakes Council's Customer Centre, the Rotorua library and on the Rotorua Lakes Council website.

    By taking part in this public submission process submitters will, for the purposes of the Official Information Act 1982, be understood to have waived privacy interests in their submission.

    Submitters are also reminded that the information supplied in written submissions may be personal information within the meaning of the Privacy Act 1993. Submitters are advised that under the Privacy Act that they have the right to enquire as to the personal information held by the Council and request that it be accurate.