Building in Stewart Island/Rakiura - transitional overlay
Stewart Island/Rakiura is one of the many jewels in the Southland district’s crown. The island hosts an abundance of precious native flora, fauna, and taonga. Stewart Island/Rakiura is also a designated Dark Sky Sanctuary - it is a pretty special place!
The District Plan divides Stewart Island/Rakiura into two zones: the Natural Open Spaces Zone (Fiordland/Rakiura Zone) and the General Residential Zone. Because the Fiordland/Rakiura Zone is so unique and natural, parts are also subject to either an Outstanding Natural Feature and Landscape Overlay (ONFL) or the Stewart Island/Rakiura Transitional Overlay.
The District Plan sets rules for what you can do in each zone and overlay.
What is the point of the transitional overlay?
The Stewart Island/Rakiura Transitional Overlay was created to provide for future growth. This overlay acknowledges existing dwellings and infrastructure, such as roads, but also considers the unique natural values within this area that are not necessarily found in the Urban Zone because it is not as intensely developed. As such, not all development you can undertake in the Urban Zone is allowed in the Stewart Island/Rakiura Transitional Overlay.
What does this mean for me?
If you want to build in the Stewart Island/Rakiura Transitional Overlay you will need a resource consent. You will need to consider the impact of your proposal on the environment and you may need a professional landscape architect to determine that effect for you.
When do I need professional help?
If your resource consent is for a controlled activity, Council won’t ask you to get a landscape architect involved. You will still need to meet criteria to prove your proposal will not change the surrounding environment too much. The criteria relates to:
- how much indigenous vegetation you want to remove
- how tall your building is
- the floor area of your building
- what external colours and materials you intend to use on your building.
You can find the exact criteria by looking at the District Plan.
If your development does not meet the controlled activity criteria, you will require a discretionary resource consent. At this point, you may need to get a landscape architect involved to assist in developing your ideas and who can then provide an assessment of that development to inform your resource consent application.
Where your proposal is unable to meet the controlled activity criteria, you may wish to consult with a consultant planner to seek independent advice, or utilize the Council’s pre-application service to aid in determining the extent of information that would be necessary to support any application.
Access the Southland District ePlan