The FDS is a 30-year planning document. Therefore, the FDS that is currently in development will cover the period from 2022 to 2052. Under the National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPSUD), FDS need to be regularly reviewed and updated in time to inform Long Term Plans.

The numbers used for Nelson for the medium growth scenario in the FDS are the same as those used in Nelson City Council’s Long Term Plan 2021-51 and its Housing and Business Capacity Assessment 2021.

Public consultation via the Special Consultative Procedure (as outlined in section 83 of the Local Government Act 2002) is now required. This process involves the production of a draft FDS, a public submission period, public hearings and a deliberations process. Staff are still working on detailed dates, however, early planning indicates that it should be sometime around March – April next year.

The FDS is a high-level strategy. Values of this type are considered in District Plans.

Biodiversity values are one of the outcomes by which each site is assessed, specifically draft outcome 7 in the presentation – Impacts on the natural environment are appropriately managed.

Yes, all sites from the 2019 FDS, the current FDS, will be reassessed during the development of the new FDS 2022. These sites need to be reassessed against the new objectives of the National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NSPUD) that came into effect in August 2020. The area will likely be altered from “Kaka” to “Maitai” or “Maitahi”.

Yes, there will be a map of all growth areas. This will form part of the draft FDS and also will be accessible via both Councils websites.

These two processes are independent of each other.

Enabling intensified development in Nelson is an objective of the Council and is supported by its Intensification Action Plan. As development typology changes over time we expect to see more intensified development in Nelson. Greenfield development, especially over the short and medium terms, also plays an important role in accommodating the City’s growth.

The FDS is a high-level growth strategy that informs subsequent District Plans and Land Development Manuals.

The assessment of all growth areas in an FDS need to consider climate change impacts. This is demonstrated in draft objective 8 in the presentation – Nelson Tasman is resilient to the likely future effects of climate change.

Any growth sites identified in an FDS will still be subject to Plan Change and/or rezoning processes. Development proposals for any growth sites either in an FDS or not identified in an FDS can still be advanced through a Private Plan Change process under the Resource Management Act.

...requirements of the National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS UD). But why has Nelson City Council not made a similar public statement?

Nelson and Tasman Councils have made joint statements to that effect. Two recent examples include: https://our.nelson.govt.nz/media-releases-2/where-do-we-grow-from-here-a-new-future-development-strategy-for-nelson-tasman/ and https://our.nelson.govt.nz/stories/landowners-developers-and-nelsonians-tell-us-your-development-opportunities-and-let-us-know-how-nelson-should-grow/

The heritage of Nelson is an important matter for consideration in any plans for intensification in the city centre. The Resource Management Act and Historic Places Act set up a framework for making decisions about if and how heritage buildings can be modified, removed or protected. There is work underway now, as part of the development of Nelson’s new resource management plan/s to consider how intensification can be provided for while maintaining significant heritage features.

Resource consent applications for higher buildings can be made now, with the design and process for approval needing to consider the heritage status of the building.

The Government is clear in its directive for Councils to plan for their growth through the preparation of Housing and Business Capacity Assessments and Future Development Strategies. Any insufficiency of growth capacity also needs to be reported to the Minister for the Environment. Meanwhile, not planning for growth is likely to result in unintended consequences. The most obvious example would be its effect on the affordability of land and housing markets.

Cluster housing for example would mean a lot less sections at the conventional size would be required in the Plan.

The FDS is required under the National Policy Statement on Urban Development. The NPSUD has an objective (objective 8) that New Zealand urban environments support reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and this is also part of the meaning of a well functioning urban environment under the same document. The NPSUD does not specify any further requirements, for example, the setting of greenhouse gas emission reduction targets by specific regions or documents.

As discussed above, the FDS needs to consider likely climate change effects when selecting growth areas and this forms part of the site assessment for suitability. If you wish to raise issues then you can submit on this, along with any other part of the draft FDS, during the consultation period.

Tasman District Council has run Future Development Strategy Community Engagement Webinars. The team at Tasman can also be contacted at futuredevelopmentstrategy@tasman.govt.nz. Tasman District Council staff have responded with the following comment on this question: The 2019 FDS includes a new commercial node for Mapua although much of this has since been consented or proposed for housing. The new FDS is therefore considering a new commercial location. This is in addition to the two “centres” already at Mapua in Aranui Rd and the wharf.

...So potentially we can already build 26,000 houses by 2048, without even touching a blade of grass up the Maitai. Moreover, the FDS based its predictions on an extremely high growth model. This is at odds with Statistics NZ who estimate that by 2048, Nelson’s population will rise by 10,540 requiring maybe 6,000 extra dwellings of various sizes. Will the new FDS have more realistic growth models?

As discussed above, the FDS 2022 process involves the reassessment of existing sites included in the 2019 FDS. The growth in households over the 30-year life of the FDS is based on the same projections in the 2021-2051 Long Term Plan and 2021 HBA. It is necessary for the FDS to plan for additional capacity above what is needed to account for the variability in landowner development timeframes and uncertainty of the realisation of development.

The 2019 FDS seemed to be informed by housing demand studies (also in determining appropriate typologies). Since territorial authorities are not developers, is this the correct approach? NCC and TDC are in a position to create demand for more intensive housing typologies by restricting low density housing.

The NPSUD requires Councils to undertake Housing Capacity Assessments to inform LTPs and FDS.

This information is available at the Nelson City Council Customer Service Centre at 110 Trafalgar Street.