He Wāhi Noho mō te Katoa – Te Panonihanga o te Whakaritenga 9 | Housing for Everyone - Plan Change 9

Consultation has concluded, thank you for taking the time to have your say. Council's decisions on Plan Change 9 are now available via this link.  

Council's decisions on Plan Change 9 are now available.

Te Whakamāramatanga o te Panonihanga | About this Change

Housing for Everyone – Plan Change 9 is a District Plan change that will encourage greater development and housing choice, and it forms part of a series of actions the Government has developed to address housing in New Zealand. Specifically, Housing for Everyone – Plan Change 9 better supports intensification through enabling medium density living across most of our urban area, and high density living close to and in the city centre and in our commercial centres.

On 14 February 2024, Elected

Council's decisions on Plan Change 9 are now available.

Te Whakamāramatanga o te Panonihanga | About this Change

Housing for Everyone – Plan Change 9 is a District Plan change that will encourage greater development and housing choice, and it forms part of a series of actions the Government has developed to address housing in New Zealand. Specifically, Housing for Everyone – Plan Change 9 better supports intensification through enabling medium density living across most of our urban area, and high density living close to and in the city centre and in our commercial centres.

On 14 February 2024, Elected Members through the Community and District Development Committee agreed to accept the recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and adopt Plan Change 9.

Read more about Council’s decision – Plan Change 9 adoption enables greater housing choice for Rotorua

About Plan Change 9

Plan Change 9 presentation - the basics


Medium Density Zone

The Government’s Medium Density Residential Standards (MDRS) are no in effect in Rotorua and apply to Residential 1 and 2 zones. The rules enable landowners to build up to three homes of up to three storeys each on most residential sites without requiring a resource consent. View the new rules - Medium Density Residential Standards.

High Density Zone

Council was also required to amend the District Plan across all urban zones so that heights and densities of development enabled by the plan are consistent with the National Policy Statement on Urban Development (2020). This requires heights and densities enabled to reflect how close the area is to services and the demand in that location. The adopted Plan Change 9 introduces a High Density Residential Zone aligned to the most accessible areas within Rotorua. This will enable more people to live in areas that can access amenities and employment through active and public transport modes.

City Centre and Commercial Zones

The Plan Change has further considered how to enable increased development density in the Commercial and City Centre Zones, due to their accessible location relative to amenity. The primary method of doing so is by enabling a greater height in these locations to accommodate for a wider range of activities that are supported by a greater density

Supporting Changes

Other changes adopted as part of Plan Change 9:

• Set the standards for papakāinga development throughout the district

• Manage flooding and geothermal hazards

• Protect heritage structures

• Set financial contributions from development for reserves


Consultation has concluded, thank you for taking the time to have your say. Council's decisions on Plan Change 9 are now available via this link.