Landscapes define the character of a place and contribute to the community’s identity. They include areas such as ridgelines, hills and valleys, wetlands, coastal harbours and escarpments, islands and seascapes. Porirua’s landscapes include a range of differing features that are valued by the community.
The value of these areas are at risk from development. This can be through earthworks, vegetation clearance, subdivisions and poorly sited and designed buildings or other structures which can impact negatively on landscape values.
The Resource Management Act 1991 requires outstanding landscapes and features to be identified and protected from inappropriate subdivision, use and development as a matter of national importance. Therefore every council in the country with identified outstanding landscapes needs to have landscape protections in their district plan.
Greater Wellington Regional Council is responsible for setting the overall landscape policy direction for our region through the Regional Policy Statement for the Wellington Region. This document requires us to undertake a landscape assessment of the city, and identify landscapes that meet specific criteria to be either “outstanding” or “special".
These areas must then be identified in our District Plan maps, with associated policies and rules that provide appropriate protection.
The Regional Policy Statement for the Wellington Region sets criteria for two different types of landscapes that councils need to identify in their district plans:
We have undertaken a landscape assessment of the entire city. A district-wide assessment was undertaken that started by drawing on existing information, GIS data, previous assessments and fieldwork.
This was carried out by Boffa Miskell, who have extensive experience doing similar landscape assessments, both in Wellington and nationally. It was then peer reviewed by Isthmus.
The assessment methodology is set out in more detail within the Isthmus (2020) Porirua Landscape Evaluation.
The previous landscape work was based on assessments dating back to 2013. Since then the criteria have changed. However, the earlier work was very useful in the identification of candidate sites and was drawn on in this recent assessment.
Some key differences include:
If your property has been identified as containing or being part of an outstanding natural landscape or special amenity landscape then rules in the plan may place some constraints on what you can and cannot do with your property in the future.
You will not need to get a resource consent in order to continue the existing activities you undertake on the site.
To view the identified areas see the Proposed District Plan. This [page also contains information about how to make a submission.
Greater Wellington Regional Council (2013) Regional Policy Statement for the Wellington Region
Quality Planning Website: Landscapes
