ORC policy could restrict Dunedin’s growth: city councillors

DUNEDIN’S growth should not be thwarted by overly restrictive regional planning, city councillors say.

They approved a submission to the Otago Regional Council last week, arguing urban growth and access to housing could be hindered if a proposed regional policy statement is not adjusted.

The regional council document is considered to be crucial in helping to determine what development can and cannot happen in Dunedin, because the policy could have a strong influence on the Dunedin City Council’s district plan.

Concerns have also emerged about the short timeframe the regional council was working within affecting the quality of the document.

Among the city council’s main concerns is the proposed policy getting in the way of efforts to provide infrastructure for a growing city or to support people’s health and wellbeing.

Cr Steve Walker said the council needed to be allowed to deliver some large infrastructure.

Providing for the city’s growth could be almost impossible if the council was prohibited from allowing some adverse environmental effects.

However, councillors were confident wrinkles in the document could be ironed out before it took effect.

The Otago Regional Council has been under pressure to fix the way it regulates freshwater activities after its planning was found wanting in 2019.

The council commented in its proposal the ink was hardly dry on its previous policy before it was embarking on the process again.

Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins said it was disappointing matters that had been settled in the previous process would be relitigated.