Gore District Plan review

TPG’s Planning and GIS teams have been working with Hokonui Rūnanga and Gore District Council (GDC) since mid-2021 on the Gore District Plan review. It was a huge collaborative body of work and we are pleased to share that we have now completed the last hearing and are awaiting decisions scheduled for mid-2025.

Working in partnership with Hokonui Rūnanga, this work involved:

• Workshoping key resource management issues with the Council and completion of an RMA efficiency and effectiveness review (2021)

• Workshop, develop and engage on the GDC Draft District plan (2022)

• Develop and notify the Proposed GDC District Plan (2023)

• Summarise and review submissions and prepare hearing reports/evidence across 2024/2025.

Over the course of the project, we supported GDC with monthly workshops and hearings, worked closely with key stakeholders and landowners, and were trusted advisors to GDC’s senior managers to effectively address any issues that arose.

TPG’s Planning team provided technical expertise and project management skills across all natural and built environment topics, culminating in over 40 plan chapters and approximately 7000 submission/further submission points. TPG’s Urban Regeneration and GIS teams supported with GIS mapping and data analysis, as well as a review of the Gore Spatial Plan for market feasibility.  We also led the development of a draft development contribution policy and reviewed the Subdivision and Development Bylaw and Roading Bylaw.

Significant hurdles faced included a very outdated operative plan, continual national policy change, two election cycles, coverage of controversial topics for the community such as Sites and Areas of Significance to Māori, biodiversity, flooding, and requests to pause the review process.

The final hearing was held on 8 April 2025, with the hearing panel expressing “humongous appreciation for all those involved in the hearings, including TPG planners and experts, and gratefulness for the expertise of the TPG reporting officers”.

Submitters feedback noted that “the process was well run and efficient, including good dialogue with the hearing report authors to resolve issues.”

It has also been a privilege to work with Gore District Council and their legal advisors, Anderson Lloyd, to deliver this project over the last four years.

Council staff have acknowledged the support and guidance from TPG, which has enabled them to navigate the hearing process confidently.

TPG want to acknowledge the outstanding work of the core team on this project, including Matt Heale, Katrina Ellis, Victoria Woodbridge, Jo Skuse, Tina Carlson McColl, Mishka Banhidi, Brett Osbourne, Nicole Burgess, Ruth Allen, Conor McIntosh, Loius Worthington and Courtney Bennett of Kete Planning Consultancy.  Also, thank you to  Hokonui Rūnanga for welcoming us into their takiwa to work together on this project. 

We pride ourselves on being a small, dedicated team that works closely with our clients to deliver big results. Overall, this project was delivered within statutory timeframes, agreed budgets, and to a high standard.

Contact us if you would like help with your district plan, Spatial Plan or policy/bylaw reviews.