Nominated trees plan change

As required by the Resource Management (Streamlining and Simplifying) Act of 2009, general tree protection rules in some urban areas will be removed from district plans after 1 January 2012.

As a result Auckland Council is updating Schedules of Notable Trees in district plans across Auckland to ensure that notable trees of significance will still be protected.

Plan changes to the following district plans are currently open for submissions:

A corresponding plan change for the North Shore District Plan has already been notified. The hearing for this plan change will take place in the early part of 2012.

Legal effect for the Auckland council district plan tree changes

Following an application by Council, the Environment Court has granted an order under section 86D of the Resource Management Act for the rules in the plan changes* adding additional trees to the notable tree schedules to have legal effect from 1 January 2012: Decision No. [2011] NZEnvC 388.

This means that from that date, the additional trees will be subject to the specific scheduled tree rule requiring consent to obtained before the tree is cut down, altered, injured, destroyed or partially destroyed.

Note*

In relation to the North Shore District Plan change (Proposed Plan Change 36), legal effect will only apply to those trees that were identified for scheduling at the time of notification; it does not apply to additional trees identified through the submission process.

Legal effect decision (790kb)

Submissions and further submissions

Further submissions close on 14 May 2012.

Find out more about the plan change process.