Te Tai o Poutini Plan (District Plan)

Every district in New Zealand must have a working plan. The plans need to identify community values and how to achieve them by managing where and how services are delivered, and how resources are used.

In 2015 some members of the West Coast community asked the Local Government Commission to look at options for streamlining the local councils.

The Commission ran a collaborative process with the four West Coast councils, looking at their current systems and options to improve them.

In 2018 the Local Government Commission released its proposal for local government reorganisation on the West Coast. The Local Government Commission recommended: Transferring the statutory obligations for preparing district plans from the three West Coast district councils to the West Coast Regional Council.

Delegating these obligations to a joint committee comprising all four councils and local iwi, with an independent chair. This means that, rather than each of the three District Councils preparing individual plans, Te Tai o Poutini Plan Committee is now responsible for preparing and approving a new combined district plan covering the whole of the West Coast.

Te Tai o Poutini Plan Committee is a joint committee made up of the four West Coast Councils and local iwi. It is comprised of the Mayor or Chair and one other Councillor from each council, and one representative each from Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Waewae and Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio.

It is chaired by an independent chairperson. The Committee has full decision-making powers, and the make-up of the Committee ensures each district has equal input and voting rights on what goes in the Plan.

Sites and Areas of Significance to Māori - Ngā Wāhi Tāpua ki te Māori are identified in the TTPP.  There is a certification process associated with permitted rules of the Sites and Areas of Significance to Māori (SASM) chapter in the TTPP.

Sites and Areas of Significance to Māori (SASM) are important places associated with the cultural traditions, history or identity of Poutini Ngāi Tahu and include former sites of occupation. Poutini Ngāi Tahu is the combined name for the two West Coast Ngāi Tahu Rūnanga (subtribes), which are Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Waewae and Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio.

There are rules in the SASM Chapter of the TTPP controlling certain activities located within or near a SASM. In some cases, your activity may fall within a SASM listed within permitted activity rules of the SASM Chapter in the TTPP.  To undertake an activity within these SASM a resource consent is required unless you can obtain a certificate from the relevant Poutini Ngāi Tahu Rūnanga. The certificate shows your activity has been assessed by Rūnanga and states that your proposed activity will not result in any unacceptable effects on their values associated with that SASM.

Please use this form when applying for the certification process associated with permitted rules of the SASM chapter in the TTPP.  Further details regarding this process can be read from the form. 

Produced quarterly, Te Tai o Poutini Plan news provides the latest information to keep partners and stakeholders up to date with progress on the combined district plan.

• View the latest TTPP newsletters.