This media release is a joint statement from South Wairarapa, Carterton and Masterton District Councils.

A major milestone has been reached in the review of the Wairarapa Combined District Plan (WCDP), the key statutory planning document for Wairarapa’s three district councils.

The three councils have now released the decisions made on their behalf by the nine-member Hearing Panel which was acting under delegated authority for the Councils. This follows two years of submissions and hearings on the WCDP.

A total of 242 submissions were received on the proposed district plan, containing 3759 submission points. This was followed by 86 further submissions supporting or opposing the original submissions.

The Hearings Panel has held 14 separate submission hearings between August 2024 and May 2025. The Panel spent many weeks deliberating on the material received and where necessary undertaking site and locality visits prior to finalising and recording their decisions in 12 separate reports.

The Decisions version of the plan is available online, with hard copies available for viewing at the District Libraries, and the Carterton, Masterton, and South Wairarapa District Council offices.

People who have made submissions or further submissions have until 21 November 2025 to appeal decisions made by the panel to the Environment Court.

After 21 November, all parts of the plan for which an appeal has not been lodged will become operative. Where an appeal has been lodged, it will be a matter for the Environment Court to progress.

Chair of the Panel, David McMahon, said the finalisation of the Decision version of the plan was a significant step for all participants – submitters, the Councils and the wider public of Wairarapa.

“The WCDP Joint committee began the review process in 2021, and it was necessarily detailed and complex, but through the use of early public and stakeholder engagement and the release of a draft plan, the committee was able to encourage useful feedback prior to the notification of the proposed plan in October 2023. So, when the Hearing Panel commenced the hearings in August 2024, some of the initial feedback matters had been resolved and that enabled focused decision making on the remaining contested issues.

“I want to commend the work of all involved throughout this process – Council staff, planning consultants and submitters. In terms of the latter, submissions from individuals and groups have definitely helped shaped the new plan. 

“The diligent commitment of all panel members and our ever-alert Hearing Administrator is gratefully acknowledged.

“The upshot of this process is that the three Wairarapa councils now have a modern and fit-for-purpose combined district plan that will serve them and Wairarapa residents well for the next 10 years or more.” 

ENDS