Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Hutt City Council is set to consult on plan change 14 – revamping the rules for development in the city centre – following agreement by the District Plan Committee last night.
District Plan Committee Chair, Roger Styles, says the plan change aims to further the ‘Making Places’ outcomes of revitalising the Hutt City’s central area.
“The change strikes a balance between encouraging development and promoting good urban design in the city,” he says.
Key changes proposed:
Cr Styles says the plan change aims to balance the desire to get positive urban design outcomes with the need to provide clear guidance to potential developers around what is permitted in the city.
“It is important to have rules which are clear and do not provide a disincentive to invest in Hutt City.
“In case anyone hasn’t noticed, apart from the Westfield redevelopment, we haven’t exactly had a building boom in recent years.
“You can put in place all the rules you want, but if the result is nothing happens, then you are actually being counterproductive.”
Council will formally approve the plan change at its meeting on 21 October, while the community will get a chance to make submissions when it is publicly notified in early November.
Councillors also resolved at last night’s meeting to investigate potential financial incentives for apartment developments in the city.