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P L I M M E R T O N F A R M
P L I M M E R T O N
P H A S E 1 S I T E E V A L U A T I O N +R E Z O N I N G R E P O R T
A U G U S T 2 0 1 8
P L I M M E R T O N D E V E L O P M E N T S L I M I T E D
[DISCLAIMER: FOR PCC INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. PLEASE DO NOT DISTRIBUTE WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL BY PDL]
F O R P O R I R U A C I T Y C O U N C I L
DOCUMENT CONTROL
AUTHOR
WILLIAM DORSET – Senior Planner
STEPHANIE BLICK – Planning Manager
IN CONJUNCTION WITH:
- PLIMMERTON DEVELOPMENTS LIMITED - ALAN BLYDE + PAUL JAMES – ENVELOPE ENGINEERING - LAUREN WHITE + MICHAEL KIBBLEWHITE – HARRISON
GRIERSON - PAUL BLACHSKE – BLASCHKE & RUTHERFORD - DAVID WILSON – URBAN ENGINEERS - GUY CASSIDY + ADAM SMITH – ENGEO - DAN MALES + MARK NEWDICK– LOCAL LANDSCAPE
ARCHITECTURE COLLECTIVE
REVIEWED STEPHANIE BLICK – Planning Manager
APPROVED
STEPHANIE BLICK – Planning Manager
DOCUMENT REVISION 20180805-SITEVAL-WFD
DOCUMENT ISSUE DATE 10 AUGUST 2018
ED JOB REFERENCE
0083
w www.egmontdixon.com
m +64 21 823 753
Page 2
CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 3
1.1 PHASE ONE WORKS AND PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT ...................................................... 3
1.2 STRUCTURE OF THIS REPORT .......................................................................................... 4
2. WHY REZONE PLIMMERTON FARM? ........................................................................... 5
3. RELATIONSHIP WITH KEY PLANNING DOCUMENTS ..................................................... 7
3.1 STRATEGIC CONTEXT ....................................................................................................... 7
3.2 STATUTORY CONTEXT ................................................................................................... 11
4. EXPERT CONTEXT ANALYSIS AND SITE EVALUATIONS ............................................... 16
4.1 ECOLOGY ....................................................................................................................... 16
4.2 LANDSCAPE VALUES AND AMENITY .............................................................................. 18
4.3 INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICING ............................................................................... 21
4.4 STORMWATER MANAGEMENT ..................................................................................... 23
4.5 GEOTECHNICAL AND LAND STABILITY ........................................................................... 26
4.6 TRANSPORTATION ......................................................................................................... 28
4.7 WALKING, CYCLING AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY ................................................. 30
4.8 URBAN DESIGN .............................................................................................................. 31
4.9 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................ 33
5. PROJECT TEAM WORKSHOP AND CONSULTATION .................................................... 36
5.1 PROJECT TEAM SITE VISITS AND WORKSHOP................................................................ 36
5.2 INITIAL CONSULTATION AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ........................................ 37
6. THE PLIMMERTON FARM REZONING AND DRAFT PRECINCT PLAN............................ 38
6.1 GENERAL ....................................................................................................................... 38
6.2 THE PLIMMERTON FARM VISION .................................................................................. 39
6.3 THE PLIMMERTON FARM DRAFT PRECINCT PLAN ......................................................... 40
7. SUMMARY AND NEXT STEPS .................................................................................... 47
7.1 NEXT STEPS .................................................................................................................... 48
8. LIMITATIONS ............................................................................................................ 49
APPENDICES
APPENDIX ONE: DRAFT PRECINCT PLAN
APPENDIX TWO: URBAN DESIGN ASSESSMENT
APPENDIX THREE: ENGINEERING REPORT AND PLANS
APPENDIX FOUR: STORMWATER MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT
APPENDIX FIVE: ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT
APPENDIX SIX: LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL ASSESSMENT
APPENDIX SEVEN: TRANSPORT SUMMARY
APPENDIX EIGHT: GEOTECHNICAL ASSESSMENT
APPENDIX NINE: PCC DISTRICT PLAN REVIEW ENGAGEMENT DOCUMENT
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1. INTRODUCTION As part of the Porirua City District Plan Review, Plimmerton Developments Limited (“PDL”) are seeking the rezoning of a
large landholding commonly referred to as ‘Plimmerton Farm’ located at 71 State Highway 1 (“SH1”), Plimmerton. With
an area of 385 hectares, the site, legally described as Pt Lot 30 DP 328137, is the largest single rural landholding in the
Plimmerton area.
Plimmerton Farm is currently zoned Rural in the Operative Porirua City District Plan (the “District Plan”) and has been
identified as an urban growth / development area in the Porirua City Council (“PCC”) Northern Growth Area Structure
Plan (“the Structure Plan”).
The Structure Plan, adopted by Porirua City Council in December 2014, seeks to guide the coordinated growth and
development of the rural area north of Camborne and south of Pukerua Bay and set out the scenario for future urban
development in this area over a 30+ year period. The Structure Plan anticipated that a district plan change would be
progressed to rezone the land within the growth area from rural to a combination of residential, rural residential, and
commercial zones. It also anticipated that the introduction of new provisions would regulate urban and rural residential
development within the strategy area.
In the Structure Plan, the Plimmerton Farm site is identified as being suitable for residential and rural residential
development. The southernmost portion of the site is identified as the ‘Cambourne North Development Area’. The
Structure Plan states that –
“Enabling the extension north of the existing Camborne urban area enables the increased utilisation by new
residents of the amenities and infrastructure of the existing village and supports the upgrading of these. This
includes school, shops, rail station, open spaces churches, roading and other services”
The Northern Growth Area Structure Plan was adopted by Council after a robust public consultation process, thereby
signalling that the community appreciates that, in the future, the site will likely undergo change to a more urbanised
environment.
PDL intend on developing the site for residential purposes, together with some commercial sites, and supporting /
complementary land-uses. Accordingly, PDL would like the rezoning of the site included in the Draft District Plan that is
to be released for public feedback in October 2018. PDL have sought to achieve this by engaging a project team of
experts to undertake site investigations necessary to support and justify rezoning and the inclusion of a precinct plan
into the Draft District Plan.
Ultimately, the District Plan review process presents the opportunity to realise the growth potential of land from
Cambourne to Pukerua Bay in line with the Northern Growth Area Structure Plan and to provide housing supply to meet
projected population growth within the Porirua District.
1.1 PHASE ONE WORKS AND PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT
Porirua City Council (“PCC”) Officers confirmed to PDL in May 2018 that PCC would consider including the rezoning of
the Plimmerton Farm site from rural to residential or a combination of land-use zones as part of the District Plan
Review. This was confirmed on the basis that a draft precinct plan and supporting investigations and evaluations be
provided ahead of the October deadline for the release of the Draft District Plan.
In mid-July 2018, PCC agreed that the following deliverables are to be provided by PDL:
• Site context analysis, including technical evaluation reports;
• An overarching draft vision for the site and draft precinct outcomes;
• Indicative land use zoning and precinct overlays;
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• Indicative multi-modal transport links and connectivity (roading, rail, public transport, cycle and pedestrian
access);
• Indicative yield and staging;
• Indicative housing mix / typologies (depicted as a mood board);
• Indicative reserves and open space networks – including blue and green networks;
• Indicative community, retail, education and commercial facilities;
• Identification of how significant sites, features or values (which may be cultural, ecological, historical or amenity
related) will be protected / maintained or managed;
• An indication of servicing of the area, including stormwater, water and sewerage; and,
• Initial engagement with stakeholders, PCC officers, NZTA and Wellington Water.
Work necessary to complete the above deliverables has been termed “Phase One”. This report provides a summary of
the Phase One works.
As further described in Section 6 of this report, the following Phase Two works are proposed ahead of the notification
of the Proposed District Plan in mid to late 2019, including:
• Further stakeholder engagement and consultation;
• PCC, Greater Wellington Regional Council (“GWRC”), the New Zealand Transport Agency (“NZTA”) and
Wellington Water workshops;
• Further technical site investigations; and,
• PCC Officer workshops.
1.2 STRUCTURE OF THIS REPORT
This evaluation report contains the following sections:
• Section 2 provides rationale for the rezoning of Plimmerton Farm.
• Section 3 provides detail on the strategic and statutory context.
• Section 4 provides summaries of the technical evaluations of the site.
• Section 5 provides a description of the key features of the Draft Precinct Plan and identifies draft intentions and
outcomes specific to each Precinct.
• Section 6 provides details of the project team workshop and initial stakeholder engagement undertaken to date.
• Section 7 provides details of further work that will be advanced ahead of the Proposed District Plan being
released in mid to late 2019.
The preparation of the Draft Precinct Plan is supported by a number of site evaluations by technical experts and, along
with the Draft Precinct Plan, these reports that are attached as appendices as follows:
• Appendix One: Draft Precinct Plan prepared by Lauren White and Michael Kibblewhite of Harrison Grierson
Consultants Limited (‘Harrison Grierson’).
• Appendix Two: Urban Design Assessment prepared by Lauren White and Michael Kibblewhite of Harrison
Grierson.
• Appendix Three: Engineering report and plans prepared by Alan Blyde and Paul James of Envelope Engineering.
• Appendix Four: Stormwater Management Assessment prepared by David Wilson of The Urban Engineers.
• Appendix Five: Ecological Assessment prepared by Dr Paul Blaschke of Blaschke and Rutherford.
• Appendix Six: Landscape Assessment prepared by Dan Males and Mark Newdick of Local.
• Appendix Seven: Transport Summary prepared by Jamie Whittaker and Mark Georgeson of Traffic Design Group
(now Stantec).
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• Appendix Eight: Geotechnical Assessment prepared by Guy Cassidy and Adam Smith of ENGEO.
• Appendix Nine: PCC District Plan Review Engagement Document.
2. WHY REZONE PLIMMERTON FARM? The Plimmerton Farm site has long been identified as a growth area for Porirua City. Recent population projections
indicate that Porirua will increase from its current population of 55,500 people to some 65,500 people over the next 25
years, representing an 18% increase.1 Furthermore, the number of dwellings during the same period is expected to
increase by around 30%, from 18,000 to 23,500 households. This equates to approximately 220 new households
required per year.
A comprehensive understanding of Porirua’s ability to absorb this change within existing capacity is not fully known at
this point in time, although, as confirmed through the completed Phase One works, the Plimmerton Farm site does
provide the capacity to absorb some of this potential housing demand brought about by population increase and
changes to household composition and demographics.
At this Phase One stage, PDL’s development aspirations for the site includes a mixture of residential and commercial
activities, including:
• 2,000 residential dwellings including a range of densities and forms, from medium/high density to rural lifestyle;
• Retirement village comprising approximately 150 dwellings;
• Primary School (with a student roll of 150);
• Supermarket – approximately 3,000m² Gross Floor Area (“GFA”);
• A neighbourhood hub comprising necessary community services (i.e. a small medical centre, takeaways etc);
• Big box retail – approximately 3,000m² GFA; and,
• A park and ride facility.
Given growth projections for Porirua, PDL believes the full development of the site will take between 15 to 20 years.
At present the site is located within the Rural Zone and the Porirua City Operative District Plan provisions of this zone
largely only permit the use of the site for rural based activities and does not provide for residential growth in this area.
Therefore, it is considered that the current rural zoning is not appropriate for the city’s Northern Growth Area nor for
the level and type of development aspirations sought by PDL.
For growth to occur on the site that will assist in meeting Council’s expectations for growth, a change in the
environment needs to occur. This was signalled to the community in previous work undertaken by PCC through the
preparation of its Northern Growth Area Structure Plan.
The rezoning of the site will result in a physical change in the site, however through adopting a precinct plan framework
approach, and through the involvement of a number of disciplines in the precinct plan development process, many
effects associated with the development of the site will be positive and anticipated adverse effects are able to be
appropriately mitigated.
From a strategic planning and growth point of view, rezoning of the Plimmerton Farm site presents mutually beneficial
outcomes for –
• PDL through the realisation of its development aspirations;
• The Plimmerton and wider Porirua community via the introduction of new social, community, educational and
recreational assets and new and varying housing stock (including affordable homes); and,
• PCC through providing sufficient residentially zoned land to accommodate 30+ years of population growth (as
required in the NPS-UDC as further detailed in Section 3 below).
1 Source: .idcommunity, demographic resources: ‘Porirua City Population Forecast’. Website: https://forecast.idnz.co.nz/porirua
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The rationale for the rezoning of the site, coupled with the implementation of a precinct plan framework, includes that
it will:
• Provide additional housing capacity to meet expected housing demand brought about by projected population
increase over the next 30 years.
• Deliver a range of housing typologies to the market to meet a wide range of demographics. This was identified
as a key issue through the District Plan review public engagement process.
• Complement the existing urban development and contribute to a compact urban form.
• Ensure development of the site occurs in a comprehensive, integrated and co-ordinated manner.
• Enable a more efficient and integrated use of the strategic land resource; and,
• Coupled with the future revocation of SH1, provide an opportunity to ensure the new communities are well
connected with established neighbourhoods as well as the Plimmerton Village and Plimmerton Train Station.
2.1.1 PROPOSED REZONING AND PRECINCT PLAN FRAMEWORK APPROACH
At this stage, based on the Phase One works undertaken, residential, commercial, rural lifestyle, and public open space
zonings are considered to be suitable site zonings to achieve PDL’s development aspirations; to facilitate the delivery of
the precinct plan that will include key development features and specific provisions; and, to a degree, address PCC’s
own aspirations for the site as outlined in the Structure Plan.
In addition to site rezoning, to fully address and recognise the particular values, opportunities and constraints of the
site (as further detailed in the following sections of this report and the accompanying technical reports), a precinct plan
framework approach is proposed where a separate overlay map comprise a number of distinct precincts where specific
development intentions and outcomes are sought will be included in the District Plan.
PCC’s District Plan review documents do not outline that the development of greenfield land will be managed via the
adoption of precinct plan framework approach within the Draft District Plan. However, engagement with PCC Policy
Planners has confirmed that this is the desired approach for the Plimmerton Farm site, given that, among other things,
the large scale of the site necessitates a need to provide a long-term framework to guide development.
Through the introduction of the precinct plan framework, there is an expectation that a high standard of amenity will
be achieved whilst also giving appropriate recognition to the existing values of the site, particularly ecological and
landscape values. Descriptions, intentions, and outcomes for each precinct will form part of the ‘Plimmerton Farm
Precinct Plan’ material that is proposed to be included in a separate chapter of the Draft District Plan (in accordance
with the Draft National Planning Standards template which PCC is understood to be adopted).
The Draft Precinct Plan itself sets out the significant key elements that PDL wishes to achieve on the site and is of an
appropriate density and layout considered acceptable by the project team. These elements include an indicative
roading layout, pedestrian and cycle connections, a park and ride facility, a public open space network, reserves
(neighbourhood parks) and the main land uses. The provision of stormwater and servicing infrastructure is also
addressed in the servicing and stormwater reports accompanying this report and further work will be progressed ahead
of notification of the Proposed District Plan in mid to late 2019.
It is envisaged that, at the time of subdivision and land development, consent applications will require assessment
against new zone provisions of the Proposed District Plan and specifically developed precinct provisions that will be
developed to specifically satisfy the recommendations put forward by the project team technical experts. Also, all
resource consent applications will be assessed on, among other things, the extent to which the applications are
generally consistent with the Precinct Plan including whether key elements have been incorporated into the detailed
design.
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3. RELATIONSHIP WITH KEY PLANNING DOCUMENTS Rezoning of a site should take account of and consider both local and national government plans and policies. This
section provides detail of the existing strategic and statutory context that influences the rezoning of Plimmerton Farm.
3.1 STRATEGIC CONTEXT
3.1.1 PORIRUA SUBURBAN CHARACTER STUDY 2005
The Porirua Suburban Character Study was undertaken in response to community concerns about the impact of more
intensive residential development on amenity and character values of suburban areas.
The Study concluded with a number of recommendations to PCC, including:
1. To plan for areas of intensification and strengthen management and control of infill development.
4. Provision and management of suburban open space
5. Develop a city wide greening strategy
5. Consider land use relationship between rural and urban areas
6. Develop a city-wide open space strategy
3.1.2 PORIRUA DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK 2009
The Porirua Development Framework 2009 (“the Framework”) was prepared as a guiding document that was intended
to influence how and where Porirua will physically develop over time. The framework “provides a ‘picture of what the
city may eventually look like – areas where people may live, work and play”.
The Framework sets out principles and objectives that guide long-term development. There are a number of objectives
that are relevant to the rezoning of Plimmerton Farm. These include:
Business and Employment:
• Objective 2: Ensure there is sufficient land available of a suitable quality to cater for future business
needs.
Housing:
• Objective 4: Improve housing choice, by enabling a variety of housing types and form to be built,
catering for differing levels of affordability and need.
• Objective 5: Improve housing quality, be promoting sustainable housing and good quality urban
design outcomes that integrate with existing communities.
Social Infrastructure
• Objective 6: Advocate to ensure education facilities meet the needs of the local population and
businesses, and are located in easily accessible areas.
• Objective 7: Ensure that each community is provided with universally appropriate, accessible, safe
public services and facilities that meet the needs of all sectors of society
Culture and History
• Objective 8: Recognise and provide for cultural and historical associations with the natural and built
environment.
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• Objective 9: Ensure the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi as set out in the Charter of Understanding
between Ngati Toa Rangatira and Porirua City Council, are taken into account when planning for
future growth and development.
Transport and Infrastructure
• Objective 10: Improve and better understand the balance between development, and the provision of
infrastructure capacity.
• Objective 11: Ensure new development is supported by the provision of appropriate and efficient
infrastructure.
• Objective 12: Improve the transport system, by strengthening the links between communities while
ensuring they are safe for all users; focusing on the creation of transport nodes; widening the choice of
transport modes; future proofing the physical infrastructure; and focusing on the use and provision of
public transport and walking/cycling
Recreation:
• Objective 14: Ensure recreational facilities are located in easily accessible areas; are an appropriate
form to cater for community needs; and are safe environments for leisure and recreation activities to
occur.
Environment:
• Objective 15: Ensure the natural environment is sustainably managed, which includes:
- Indigenous biodiversity is protected through effective management, which includes the
protection of indigenous vegetation, important ecosites and habitats for indigenous fauna.
- Strengthen the city’s green and leafy appearance.
- Improve water quality in the Pauatahanui Inlet, Porirua Harbour and waterways, by ensuring
effective management of sediment discharges, pollutants, excess nutrients and other
contaminants. This may be achieved through explicit management and advocacy.
- Managing development in the coastal environment through explicit management and advocacy.
- Identify significant landscapes, and ensure they are appropriately managed and protected.
• Objective 16: Ensure new urban development is not exposed to unacceptable risk from natural hazards
and impacts of climate change. Further development in existing communities may occur in areas
potentially affected by climate change or subject to natural hazards, where appropriate mitigation is
achievable.
Planning Places:
• Objective 19: Ensure there is sufficient urban zoned land available for both residential and non-
residential purposes, to cater for future demand.
The Framework notes that there will be a conflict between certain objectives and outcomes recommended and that
trade-offs are inevitable.
The Framework also includes a framework map (refer Figure One below) showing preferred locations for specific
development forms and an associated Strategic Study Area Map (refer Figure Two below). The Framework includes the
Porirua Development Framework Detailed Action Plan, which specifies a set of projected actions required to implement
the Framework.
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` FIGURE ONE: PORIRUA DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK MAP
FIGURE TWO: STRATEGIC STUDY AREAS
The Framework identifies north of Camborne as a potential urban growth area. However, it notes that “this area has a
range of constraints and limitations that would require further detailed investigation before Council could consider a
specific change to its District Plan”. This led to the development of the Structure Plan.
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3.1.3 PORIRUA NORTHERN GROWTH AREA STRUCTURE PLAN 2014
The Structure Plan was adopted by Porirua City Council in December 2014 as a strategy for guiding future long-term
urban growth between Camborne and Pukerua Bay. The Structure Plan considers this area desirable for growth given
the ability to access the current SH1 alignment, along with the presence of established community amenities, and
suggests development of some 1,200 to 2,000 new dwellings.
FIGURE THREE: NORTHERN GROWTH AREA STRUCTURE
The key proposals for the Northern Growth Area:
A - Pukerua Bay West Development Area
B - New Village Development Area
C - Camborne North Development Area
D - Rural Residential Areas
E - Open Spaces Areas
F - Rural Deferred Development Areas
The Plimmerton Farm site comprises proposed land use types B, C, D E and F from council’s Structure Plan.
The Structure Plan sets out a scenario for future urban development in this area, considering the following aspects:
• Providing for a range of housing and building options to meet demand from a growing population;
• The opportunity to more-efficiently utilise existing transportation infrastructure including commuter rail
services within proximity to the structure plan area;
• Planning and funding essential infrastructure and community facilities (including schools and other community
services) needed for this;
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• Protecting important natural environmental values including important landscapes and natural features
(including Taupō Swamp Wetland and the Porirua Harbour), heritage, and biodiversity; and,
• Feedback from affected landowners, various stakeholder agencies, and the wider community about all of the
above.
DEVELOPMENT SCENARIOS FOR PLIMMERTON FARM
The Northern Growth Area Structure Plan prepared by Council envisages:
• A proposed “New Village Area” on the site, which will include small centre shops around a ‘public open space’
and school site(s);
• The ‘Camborne North Development Area’ which is traditional residential development in the same theme as
existing residential development to the south of the Plimmerton Farm site;
• ‘Rural Residential Areas’ which allow for larger lots on steeper sites, bush clad sites and areas of where
development occurrence will have significant visual impact;
• ‘Open Space Areas’ which will generally be the areas of steeper gully/ watercourses and low-lying flood plain
and wetland areas; and,
• Some limited area of ‘Rural Deferred Development Area’ with steeper terrain and vegetation or visual
protection zones where protection would be desirable.
3.2 STATUTORY CONTEXT
A number of policies and plans inform the nature of rezoning of the Plimmerton Farm site. A summary of legislation and
the relevant policy and plans that have informed the project teams preliminary rezoning concepts and draft precinct
plan is provided below.
3.2.1 NATIONAL POLICY STATEMENT ON URBAN DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY 2016
The National Policy Statement on Urban Development Capacity 2016 (NPS-UDC) sets out the objectives and policies for
providing development capacity under the Resource Management Act 1991 (“the Act”).
The NPS outlines that local authorities play an important role in shaping the success of our cities by planning for growth
and change and providing critical infrastructure. The NPS outlines that, ideally, urban planning should enable people
and communities to provide for their social, economic, cultural and environmental wellbeing through development,
while managing its effects. This is a challenging role, because cities are complex places; they develop as a result of
numerous individual decisions, and this often involves conflict between diverse preferences.
The NPS provides direction to decision-makers under the Act on planning for urban environments. It recognises the
national significance of well-functioning urban environments, with particular focus on ensuring that local authorities,
through their planning, both:
• enable urban environments to grow and change in response to the changing needs of the communities, and
future generations; and
• provide enough space for their populations to happily live and work. This can be both through allowing
development to go “up” by intensifying existing urban areas, and “out” by releasing land in greenfield areas.
The NPS covers development capacity for both housing and business, in recognition that the mobility and connectivity
between both are important to achieving well-functioning urban environments.
The NPS aims to ensure that planning decisions enable the supply of housing needed to meet demand and outlines that
local authorities need to provide for the wellbeing of current generations, and they must also provide for the wellbeing
of the generations to come. The overarching theme running through the NPS is that planning decisions must actively
enable development in urban environments and do that in a way that maximises wellbeing now and in the future.
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The NPS identifies that competition is important for land and development markets because supply will meet demand
at a lower price when there is competition. There are several key features of a competitive land and development
market. These include providing plenty of opportunities for development. Planning can impact on the competitiveness
of the market by reducing overall opportunities for development and restricting development rights to only a few
landowners.
The NPS requires councils to provide in their plans enough development capacity to ensure that demand can be met.
This includes both the total aggregate demand for housing and business land, and also the demand for different types,
sizes and locations. This development capacity must also be commercially feasible to develop, and plentiful enough to
recognise that not all feasible development opportunities will be taken up.
Under the NPS development capacity must be provided for in plans and also supported by infrastructure. The NPS
states –
Urban development is dependent on infrastructure, and decisions about infrastructure can shape urban
development. This national policy statement requires development capacity to be serviced with development
infrastructure, with different expectations from this infrastructure in the short, medium and long-term. It
encourages integration and coordination of land use and infrastructure planning. This will require a sustained
effort from local authorities, council-controlled organisations, and infrastructure providers (including central
government) to align their intentions and resources.
Another key theme running through the NPS is for planning to occur with a better understanding of land and
development markets, and in particular the impact that planning has on these. This NPS requires local authorities to
prepare a housing and business development capacity assessment and to regularly monitor market indicators, including
price signals, to ensure there is sufficient development capacity to meet demand.
Local authorities must respond to this information in that, if it shows that more development capacity needs to be
provided to meet demand, local authorities must then do so. Providing a greater number of opportunities for
development that are commercially feasible will lead to more competition among developers and landowners to meet
demand.
The NPS takes a tiered approach to the application of policies using the Statistics New Zealand urban areas
classification, and population projections to target different policies to different local authorities. This classification also
informs local authorities that they must work together. The boundaries of the urban areas do not restrict the area in
which the local authorities apply the policies.
Porirua City Council is identified in the NPS as a ‘Medium Growth Area’ (‘MGA’). The NPS defines an MGA as any urban
area that has a resident population of over 30,000 and in which the population of that urban area is projected to grow
by 5-10 percent between 2013 to 2023. There are five MGAs in the Wellington Region, Wellington City, Porirua City,
Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and Kapiti Coast District.
As a MGA, PCC is required to quantify demand for different housing types in Porirua over a 30-year horizon and make
sure land is available to service that land. PB6 of the NPS requires “local authorities to monitor on a quarterly basis a
range of indicators in the housing and business market”.
3.2.2 NATIONAL POLICY STATEMENT ON FRESHWATER MANAGEMENT
GWRC’s current whaitua process is designed to meet their obligations under the NPS-FM. This process involves setting
catchment contaminate load limits.
Although the Te Awarua-o-Porirua Whaitua process has not finished the whaitua committee is anticipating completing
the Whaitua Implementation Programme in August 2018. Their current (as at 10 May 2018) draft fresh water quality
objectives provide an indication for likely limits for the Taupō Stream and Swamp catchment (refer Appendix A of the
Stormwater Management Assessment in Appendix Four). The draft objectives are targeting significant improvements
in E.coli and dissolved zinc and copper toxicity, and improvements in ammonia and nitrate toxicity. The draft objectives
are targeting similar levels in the Kakaho Stream catchment and it is understood from Wellington Water that PCC have
agreed in principle for these objectives (or similar) to be included in the Draft District Plan.
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3.2.3 REGIONAL POLICY STATEMENT FOR THE WELLINGTON REGION 2013
The Regional Policy Statement for the Wellington Region 2013 (“the RPS”) identifies the regionally significant issues
around the management of the regions natural and physical resources and sets out what needs to be achieved in the
form of objectives and a policy framework for achieving the objectives.
The sections of most relevance to the rezoning of Plimmerton Farm include:
• Freshwater (Section 3.4) – the regions rivers, lakes and wetlands support healthy functioning ecosystems.
• Historic heritage (Section 3.5) – seeks to identify and protect historic heritage from inappropriate modification,
use and development.
• Indigenous ecosystems (Section 3.6) – promotes the maintenance and restoration of indigenous ecosystems
and habitats with significant biodiversity value.
• Landscape (section 3.7) – seeks to protect, maintain and enhance the values of outstanding natural landscapes
and significant amenity landscapes.
• Natural hazards (Section 3.8) – Risks and consequences to people and property from natural hazards, climate
change are reduced and activities do not increase the risks of natural hazard events.
• Regional form, design and function (Section 3.9) – Promotes a compact, well designed and sustainable regional
form where urban development takes place in existing urban areas, or where beyond urban areas, development
reinforces the regions existing urban form. Also promotes strategically planned rural development, a range of
housing, integrated land use and transport, and efficient use of existing infrastructure (including transport
network infrastructure).
• Resource management with tangata whenua (Section 3.10) – promotes local authorities and iwi authorities to
work together for the sustainable management of the regions environment.
Also relevant to the rezoning of Plimmerton Farm, to enable medium to high density developments where appropriate,
the RPS anticipates that more intensive residential development will be enabled in areas with good access to services,
including public transport. In particular, the following policies of the RPS are relevant:
• Policy 10 relating to Travel Demand Management
• Policy 31, 33 and 55 relating to a compact well designed and sustainable regional form
• Policy 54 requiring developments to incorporate Urban Design and Low Impact Urban Design considerations
• Policy 57 relating the integration of land use and transportation
• Policy 58 relating to co-ordinating land use with development and operation of infrastructure.
• Policy 67: Maintaining and enhancing a compact, well designed and sustainable regional form.
STRUCTURE PLAN DEVELOPMENT
Specific to the development of structure plans, Policy 55 – Maintaining a compact, well designed and sustainable
regional form, states that –
When considering an application for a resource consent, or a change, variation or review of a district plan for
urban development beyond the region’s urban areas (as at March 2009), particular regard shall be given to
whether:
(a) the proposed development is the most appropriate option to achieve Objective 22; and
(b) the proposed development is consistent with the Council’s growth and/or development framework or
strategy that describes where and how future urban development should occur in that district; and/or
(c) a structure plan has been prepared.
The explanation to this policy includes the Porirua City Development Framework in examples of growth and/or
development frameworks or strategies.
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The explanation outlines that structure planning integrates land use with infrastructure – such as, transport networks,
community services and the physical resources and that structure planning should also deliver high quality urban
design.
While the explanation outlines that the content and detail of structure plans will vary depending on the scale of
development, it notes that, structure plans, as a minimum, should address:
• Provision of an appropriate mix of land uses and land use densities;
• How environmental constraints (for example, areas at high risk from natural hazards) and areas of value (for
example, indigenous ecosystems, rivers, streams and ephemeral streams, wetlands, areas or places with historic
heritage, outstanding landscapes, or special amenity landscapes) are to be managed;
• Integration with existing and proposed infrastructure services, such as, connections to existing and proposed
transportation systems and provision of public and active transport linkages by undertaking an integrated
transport assessment;
• The integration of the development with adjoining land use activities including measures to avoid, remedy or
mitigate reverse sensitivity effects;
• Integration of social infrastructure and essential social services as necessary;
• Development staging or sequencing; and,
• How the region’s urban design principles will be implemented.
The Regions Urban Design Principles are described in Appendix 2 of the RPS and have been considered by the project
team’s urban designer through the development of the Draft Precinct Plan.
3.2.4 PORIRUA CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT PLAN REVIEW
PCC, with Ngāti Toa, are currently reviewing their District Plan and Council have confirmed that the rezoning of the
Plimmerton Farm site could be included in the Draft District Plan. As acknowledged in this report, as the PCC District
Plan Review process is currently being progressed, PDL will not be looking to advance a private plan change to rezone
the Plimmerton Farm site.
As discussed in Section 1, PDL are seeking to have the land rezoned in Council’s District Plan review. This is being
achieved by assisting Council in undertaking site evaluations and investigations that are necessary to support and justify
rezoning.
To this end, as part of the Phase One works, PDL and its Plimmerton Farm project team members:
• Met with PCC Policy Planners to determine likely zoning and zoning provisions to determine how such zonings
would align with development intentions for the site;
• Confirmed with PCC Policy Planners that the suburban zone rules would not have a minimum lot size as per the
operative district plan;
• Confirmed with PCC Policy Planners that likely a new rural residential zone would be introduced into the District
Plan; and,
• Confirmed with PCC Policy Planners that the various parts of the entire site would be rezoned residential,
business and public open space but specific development outcomes will be delivered via a precinct plan
framework approach that identified intentions, outcomes, objectives and policies and rules for the specific
precincts.
It is envisaged that PDL and its project team will work closely with PCC policy planners to ensure zone provisions, as well
as the specific precinct provisions; enhance site opportunities; mitigate and appropriately address site constraints; align
with the desired intentions and outcomes for the site; and address the issues raised in the Porirua City land use
planning review document that is summarised in the following section.
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DISTRICT PLAN REVIEW ISSUES DOCUMENT: HOW WE LIVE AND GROW, OCTOBER 2017
In October 2017, PCC released a document identifying the themes and issues for public engagement on the District
Plan. The document identifies 33 issues that the District Plan is intended to address. For each of the issues a number of
desired outcomes and potential responses that seek to ensure the outcomes are achieved were specified. The
document captures all of the issues, potential responses, desired outcomes and the Council’s regulatory requirements
in one place.
There are a number of issues that directly relate to the rezoning of the Plimmerton Farm site. The issues report is
provided in Appendix Nine of this report and the relevant outcomes that the proposed rezoning will contribute to
achieving have been marked green.
DISTRICT PLAN ENGAGEMENT REPORTING, NOVEMBER 2017
In November 2017, the Environment and City Planning Team at PCC released an engagement report that described
feedback through engagement on the District Plan review. The report outlines that the key messages from the
community on the District Plan include:
• Strong support for diverse housing options, affordable housing and acceptance of a need to grow
• A reluctance to see low density sprawl as the future growth model, instead supporting a move into medium
density intensification and increasing height limits in the CBD
• Strong support for the protection of the Harbour through planning tools (that could be based on the principles of
water sensitive urban design and storm water neutrality)
• An interest in the changes brought about by Transmission Gully including what happens to the current State
Highway 1, there was an acknowledgement that there are challenges and opportunities for Porirua
• Overall strong support for non-vehicular modes of transport and better pubic transport
• Support for a risk-based approach to natural hazards and the hazards of most concern are earthquakes, flooding
and slips
• Support for protecting landscape backdrops
• Support for native vegetation protection backed by penalties if required.
The above issues have sought to be addressed by PDL and its project team through the precinct plan development
process.
3.2.5 RESOURCE CONSENTS
PDL have indicated that, due to commercial considerations, resource consents may be advanced for some development
within Stage 1 ahead of the rezoning of the site becoming operative. PDL and their consultants will undertake early
engagement with PCC Officers and relevant stakeholders to ensure any resource consents advanced by PDL do not
prejudice development occurring in accordance with the precinct plan and accompanying intentions and outcomes and
provisions.
Development in Stage 1 will include the creation of four super lots (2-3 ha each) for future residential development, one
8ha superlot for a retirement village / residential lifestyle, two commercial lots (1.5ha – 2ha each), together with the
dedications of land for a potential Park and Ride facility and stormwater detention. It is proposed that Stage 1 will be
accessed via James Street to State Highway 1.
A small residential cul de sac at the end of Mo Street with a pedestrian connection to the precinct is also proposed in
Stage 1.
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4. EXPERT CONTEXT ANALYSIS AND SITE EVALUATIONS
Phase One works have involved the undertaking of site evaluations and assessments by the project team experts. Each
expert has identified site opportunities and constraints and recommendations with respect to how rezoning and future
development of the site can resolve such constraints.
The expert evaluations are summarised in the following sections.
4.1 ECOLOGY
Activities associated with the urbanisation of a site that will be facilitated through site rezoning and the implementation
of a precinct plan have the potential to affect ecological values of the site and wider locality include earthworks for land
development, removal of existing vegetation, modification of existing drainage and the generation of stormwater as a
result of new buildings and hardstand such as roading.
To inform decisions regarding appropriate zoning along with the development of the Draft Precinct plan an Ecological
Site Assessment (refer Appendix Five) was prepared by Dr Paul Blaschke of Blaschke and Rutherford. This assessment
was undertaken to ensure that any ecological constraints within the site are well understood and to ensure that future
development of the site will not adversely impact on the local or regional environment.
The scope of the assessment included:
• Assessing existing ecological habitats and values (terrestrial and freshwater) on Plimmerton Farm;
• Reviewing rezoning options and draft precinct plans and the supporting rezoning evaluation report to advise on
the accuracy or otherwise of existing identification and assessment of ecological resources on Plimmerton Farm;
• Undertaking a site visit;
• Summarising principles for effective incorporation of ecological values into development of precinct plan
options for Plimmerton Farm, including participation in team workshops and discussion; and
• Preparation of the Ecological Site Assessment Report.
Section 2 of the Ecological Site Assessment provides an overview of terrestrial and freshwater environments. Section 3
outlines that a recent Porirua City Council survey of Ecology and Landscape Areas as part of the Council’s District Plan
review2 has identified nine proposed Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) within Plimmerton Farm. Recognition of the sites
was based on matching at least one of several criteria for ecological significance identified in the RPS.
In addition, the Ecological Site Assessment identifies further sites that are considered to have ecological importance. Dr
Blaschke have recommended considering the additional sites during ongoing site development planning. Brief details of
these sites are shown in Table 1 of the assessment and Recognised SNAs in and adjoining Plimmerton Farm, and the
“additional noteworthy areas” are shown in Fig.1. Areas shown in green in Fig. 1 (“Highest Value Ecological Sites”) are
most of the proposed SNAs. Areas shown in pink (“Lowest Value Ecological Sites”) are two proposed SNAs which, in Dr
Blaschke’s view, have lower ecological values than those in green, principally because of lower density and/or less
developed native canopy. Areas shown in yellow (“Medium/high Value Ecological Sites”) are those areas detailed in
Table 2 which are not recognised as SNAs but have some ecological value or potential to add to ecological integrity of
the site as a whole.
Section 4 of the Ecological Site Assessment outlines the most important ecological values of the site as follows:
• Remnants of old-growth native forests (dominated by kohekohe and tawa, with a small number of podocarp
trees).
• Significant areas of regenerating indigenous manuka and kanuka-dominated scrub and low forest in gullies and
steep hillsides, developing towards characteristic native forests in threatened land environments. Many of these
regenerating areas protect and buffer significant streams and wetlands.
2 See https://poriruacity.govt.nz/your-council/city-planning-and-reporting/district-plan/ecology-and-landscapes/
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• Important wetland outliers of the Taupō Swamp in the Lower Taupō Stream, one of the most significant
wetlands in the Wellington region.
• Numerous streams and wetlands draining into the Te Awarua-o-Porirua Harbour, a focus for protection at the
territorial and regional level.
• Fauna habitat for many native species including freshwater fish, birds and lizards. Some of these species are
identified as rare or threatened.
The assessment also acknowledges that –
• Te Awarua-o-Porirua Harbour is recognised as a Habitat of Indigenous Birds in the Coastal Marine Area and is
the subject of a major coordinated management programme and Action Plan3.
• Taupō Swamp is recognised as a Key Native Ecosystem (KNE)4 and a Significant Natural Wetland in Greater
Wellington Regional Council’s PNRP.
• Taupō Stream is also recognised as a River with Significant Indigenous Ecosystems in this PNRP5.
• Te Awarua-o-Porirua Harbour and places within the Taupō Stream catchment are recognised as Sites of
significance to Ngāti Toa Rangatira.
As outlined in Section 5 of Ecological Site Assessment, Dr Blaschke states that, in his view residential development on
the site can be compatible with protection and enhance of ecological values of Plimmerton Farm given the following
reasons –
• Existence of a number of SNAs and other areas with ecological values, as hubs of natural values. These can also
be a feature of planned residential and urban development and support an integration of development and
environmental values;
• The relatively large size of the property compared to the size of the most important ecological sites, enabling
flexibility in development and protection options;
• The topography of the property which dictates that significant areas would not be capable of residential
development, that other areas would support larger rural and hillside living precincts incorporating ecological
areas;
• The presence of easier contoured land on the southern and western parts of the property adjacent to transport,
road and infrastructure linkages, allowing relatively intensive development;
• These two factors thereby allow a mix of relatively dense and less dense development as well as protection of
important natural areas and natural values.
4.1.1 ECOLOGY RECOMMENDATIONS AND DRAFT PRECINCT PLAN RESPONSES
Section 5 of the Ecological Site Assessment identifies the following values that will need addressing on development
generally on the site:
• The desirability of protection for recognised SNAs on the property;
• Policy protection of all streams on the property from reclamation, included those outside of SNAs, by way of
Policy P102 in the Proposed NRP stating that the reclamation or drainage of the beds of lakes and rivers and of
wetland shall be avoided (with the exemption of ephemeral streams among other things) unless there are no
other practicable alternative methods of providing for the activity;
• The generally steep contour of the site, necessitating relatively large volumes of earthworks for development,
and the need for best practice methods of site development and of erosion and sediment control.
3 Te Awarua-o-Porirua Harbour and Catchment Strategy and Action Plan, see https://poriruacity.govt.nz/your-council/city-planning-and-reporting/our-strategic-priorities/healthy-harbour/how-were-looking-after-porirua-harbour/ 4 A KNE Management Plan has been prepared for the Taupō Swamp Complex, see http://www.gwrc.govt.nz/assets/council-publications/Key-Native-Ecosystem-Plan-for-Taup-Swamp-Complex-2016-2019.pdf 5 A full description and list of ecological designations is provided in the above KNE Plan
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And identifies that adverse ecological effects that will need to be avoided, remedied or mitigated. Dr Blashcke outlines
that many of the constraints and the potential adverse ecological effects can be avoided or remedied or otherwise
mitigated via the following measures:
• Permanent protection of most SNAs and other ecologically important habitats by way of vesting in public
agencies, joint private ownership through some type of body corporate or other communal ownership
structure, or covenant registered against the titles of individual Lots;
• Pest and weed control measures;
• Replanting and new planting on priority areas where practical;
• Wetland restoration through intervention in the hydrological regime in association with stormwater detention
and management; and,
• Habitat enhancement in association with stormwater management measures summarised in the Stormwater
Management Site assessment.
Other management considerations are suggested in the Ecological Site Assessment, in particular the long-term
ownership and structure of Significant Natural Ares where it is suggested that these areas –
• Remain as covenanted areas in private ownership;
• Be vested with PCC as natural areas and recreational assets with public access and stormwater functions; or
• Two wetland areas be vested with public or covenanting agencies.
These suggestions have been incorporated into the Draft Precinct Plan.
Finally, the Ecological Site Assessment recommendations a number of actions to be undertaken in Phase Two, including
• Detailed ecological survey of the freshwater and riparian environments, especially for plants, fish and macro-
invertebrates, to more accurately determine protection and restoration priorities;
• Investigate and consider restoration action on Camborne Bush and Plimmerton Swamp East which are two very
important SNAs on the property but currently significantly degraded;
• Hydrological flow investigations to establish where ephemeral flow paths are situated;
• Further investigation of options for maintaining grazing, forestry or conservation management on various parts
of the property, including minimising fire risk, during the implementation of the development project.
Dr Blaschke concludes as follows -
“From my involvement in the preparation of the draft precinct plan and this assessment, I am of the view that
development of the site in the manner laid out in the draft precinct plan can occur whilst protecting the
significant ecological values of the site.
I am also of the view through the incorporation of an open space network, coupled with specific precinct
intentions related to ecological values, and through future resource consent processes, any potential adverse
ecological effects associated with the rezoning and subsequent development plans can be adequately avoided,
remedied or mitigated.”
4.2 LANDSCAPE VALUES AND AMENITY
As the rezoning of the site and potential adoption of a precinct plan into the Draft District Plan that will inevitably result
in physical and visual changes to the site, an evaluation of the landscape values and amenity of the site was undertaken
by Local (refer Appendix Six).
The report is summarised in the following sections.
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4.2.1 SIGNIFICANT AMENITY LANDSCAPES
Section 4 of the Landscape Evaluation identifies that part of the site has been included in the Kakaho Special Amenity
Landscape (SAL) area as defined by the draft Porirua Landscape Evaluation that was released for public feedback in July
2018 (refer Figure 4 of the evaluation). The extent of the area has increased from the PCC Landscape Character Study
undertaken in 2012 and relates less to hilltop and ridgeline contours and more to rural backdrop.
The report describes the Kakaho SAL as providing a “broad backdrop of rolling to steep hill country which rises beyond
the immediate northern backdrop of Pauatahanui inlet”, which is characteristic of much of Porirua’s largely intact rural
hinterland. In particular, the pasture grass vegetation cover is cited as “revealing the dramatic changes in light and
shadow”, but also includes some areas of native bush cover.
The authors of the Landscape Evaluation met with PCC Officers and PCC’s landscape architect consultants, Linda
Kerkmeester and Rhys Girvan of Boffa Miskell, to clarify the extent of the Kakaho SAL. Local have suggested that the
main intention of the SAL should be tested and that this should be carried out by considering the more visible hills to
the north and minimising the area that the SAL extends into the lower portions of the site to the south. This is
illustrated in Figure 8 of the Landscape Evaluation.
4.2.2 SIGNIFICANT NATURAL AREAS AND NATIVE VEGETATION AREAS
Through field and desktop surveys undertaken to inform the Landscape Evaluation, and in collaboration with Dr
Blaschke (project team ecologist), Local identified a number of isolated areas of native vegetation as having ecological
value, although some of which were identified as having higher value than others. Local identifies that the higher values
tend to rest with the areas located in steeply sloping gullies where livestock has not been able to access and are
sheltered from prevailing winds. Figure 6 of the Landscape Evaluation provides a review of the Significant Natural Areas
identified by PCC and other areas of native vegetation on the site.
Local outline that some areas identified, whilst containing native vegetation, based on site visits, a study of historic
aerials and discussions with Ian Benge and Dr Blaschke suggest these areas may not reach the threshold where these
should be identified as SNA’s.
The assessment identifies that two wetlands located at the terminus of the two main gullies on the site have an
important role in sediment control and habitat provision before water enters Taupo Swamp.
4.2.3 LANDSCAPE RECOMMENDATIONS AND DRAFT PRECINCT PLAN RESPONSES
The Landscape Evaluation provides an overview of the Draft Precinct Plan and key features, including the proposed
open space network, and notes that via collaboration of the project team, the precincts have largely been determined
by landscape conditions, topography, the proximity to the urban centre of Plimmerton, but also to the proposed
neighbourhood centre in the middle of the site.
With respect to the open space network proposed in the Draft Precinct Plan, the Landscape Evaluation identifies that
the largest ecological area in the centre of the site is proposed to be retained and extended to provide a recreational,
ecological, and landscape resource for the site. The indicative cycle and pedestrian paths are proposed to traverse
through them to maximise permeability, recreation opportunities, and encourage ongoing enhancement as a central
community reserve.
The Landscape Evaluation also outlines that a second tract of land will provide separation between precinct B and C is
proposed to form part of the open space network as it connects well to the two wetlands that border the site and SH1.
This area contains some zones of regenerating bush and it is envisioned that this area will be developed for hillside and
rural lifestyle living and that retired hill slopes may be developed as landscape restoration areas where practical. Local
consider that this will not only provide ecological benefits but also recreation and amenity assets to the community and
help to preserve the integrity of the rolling landscape character. The two existing wetlands on the north western edge
of the site are proposed to be retained, protected, and enhanced. As the wetlands drain into Taupo Swamp, which is
one of the few wetlands owned by the QEII trust, Local, along with the wider project team, suggest that these are
vested with public or conservation agencies.
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With respect to site interfaces, and due to the abrupt change in topography adjacent to SH1, the Draft Precinct Plan
includes a buffer that provides visual screening of the development from the road as well as both wetland and forest
habitat. Local consider that this buffer will also form an attractive gateway to the two proposed road connections
proposed along SH1.
Refer Section 6 of the Landscape Evaluation for a detailed overview of the proposed precincts.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The Landscape Evaluation includes the following recommendations for the continued development of the Precinct Plan
and Phase Two works –
1. Further investigations and discussions around the extent of the proposed Kakaho Special Amenity Landscape.
2. Further investigations and discussions around the purpose of the Kakaho SAL to ensure the implications on the
Northern Growth Area Structure Plan are clearly understood.
3. Further investigations and discussions around the extent of Significant Natural Areas SNA PCC050, PCC 197 and
PCC198.
4. Retain and enhance the qualities in the Kakaho SAL area by adopting the precinct plan in the district plan and
including provisions to manage the siting of structures, planting and infrastructure within this land rather than
lot sizes at the resource consent stage. These should:
a) Aim to protect the existing ridgeline and promote development that is sensitive to, and appropriate
for the existing landform.
b) Avoid development which is incongruous with the landform and encourage land use that emphasises
it.
c) Allow for public access along the ridge creating a path that could over time link in with the Kohekohe
Loop Track.
5. Develop an integrated open space network that;
a) provides active and passive recreation to residents,
b) enhances access to and enjoyment of the significant natural areas of the site to residents and
visitors,
c) provide strong pedestrian and cycle links to the station and wider community.
d) provides environmental benefits to the site and wider region by retaining and enhancing ecology
zones.
6. Avoiding, remedying or mitigating adverse effects of development on fresh water quality and wetlands through
the use of water sensitive urban design and constructed ecology where appropriate.
7. Ensure roading gradient, land use and building typologies are carefully considered in relation to terrain to ensure
earthworks outcomes are appropriate to the site.
8. Undertake buffer and mitigation planting to minimise adverse visual effects and reverse sensitivity beyond the
site such as the planted buffer along SH1,
9. Encourage neighbourhood permeability, i.e. connected network of streets and footpaths and ensuring high
density areas are close to public transport links and providing an accessible neighbourhood shopping centre.
The Landscape Evaluation makes the following conclusions –
“For the same reasons that Plimmerton Farm contains areas identified as a significant amenity landscape, it
is also well suited for development. The proximity to the urban centres of Plimmerton and Porirua provides
high value land that withstanding the topography that is well suited to development where done sensitively.
It is therefore the way in which development is done that is key. The draft precinct plan is intended to
provide guiding principles which inform the district plan change and future resource consent applications
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sought under it. We therefore emphasise that there is much work to be done to ensure the site is developed
in line with the intentions and outcomes expressed within this landscape evaluation and the documents this
report references.
Should this be done diligently, we are confident that the site is well suited to development and will
contribute greatly to the urban and landscape fabric of the Porirua area.”
4.3 INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICING
An Infrastructure Report and accompanying preliminary development plans (refer Appendix Three) were prepared by
Envelope Engineering to support the precinct plan development process. The report evaluates the feasibility of
earthworks, water supply, wastewater, gas and telecommunications to service development facilitated via the rezoning
of the site.
The assessments provided in the Infrastructure Report are summarised in the following sections.
4.3.1 EARTHWORKS
Section 2 of the Infrastructure Report outlines that areas that are earmarked for development in the draft Precinct Plan
on the site are generally moderately sloping and earthworks are required to provide suitable building platforms for
houses and acceptably graded roads for access. Access throughout the site to the proposed development areas will be
by a new network of public roads. It is intended that the roadways are located and graded to ensure they follow the
contour wherever possible and limit the need for additional earthworks. Where it is unavoidable, there are stream
crossings for proposed roadways.
EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL
Section 2.2 of the Infrastructure Report outlines that, as future development enabled via the rezoning of the site
involves carrying out earthworks on moderately steep land adjacent to a number of streams and upstream of the Taupo
Swamp, development robust erosion and sediment controls is important. The report provides high level details
regarding possible erosion and sediment controls and outlines that, adherence to earthworks and construction
management plans which include details of appropriate control measures and monitoring programmes would be
required via consent conditions of future PCC and GWRC resource consents.
4.3.2 WASTEWATER
Section 3 of the Infrastructure Report outlines that there is no existing public wastewater drainage on the site and
outlines that wastewater drainage from the site would not be able to connect to the existing public downstream
reticulation without current capacity issues in the wider network being addressed. Accordingly, the report details a
number of wastewater disposal options for future development of the site, including -
Council upgrades existing reticulation leading to the WWTP:
• This is currently a long-term project for council and is expected to adversely impact development programme
potential for the site
Lay separate reticulation system from property to treatment plant:
• Envelope identify that the cost for this option will be prohibitive and the work would also take a number of
years to complete.
Treatment and disposal on site:
• This option is not favoured by PCC and would require a significant WWTP and a new discharge point for the
treated effluent. This option has been discounted from further evaluation.
Centralised ‘public’ Control of Peak Flows:
• Envelope advise that controlling peak flows from the site could be done by providing detention storage and
pumping to existing reticulation within James Street/ State Highway 1 at off-peak periods. Storage would be via
a series of tanks which do not all need to be in one place. Storage and pumping equipment could be installed
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progressively to suit the development. Part of the control of peak flows could include sustainable options such
as the re-cycling of greywater for toilet flushing, which would reduce overall water demand and also reduce the
overall volume of wastewater generated by the development and directed to the WWTP.
Private Peak Flow Control:
• One further option for controlling wastewater peak flows has been discussed with PCC. This option involves the
use of a comprehensive low-pressure wastewater system and individual pumps with an on-site small storage
chamber to be located on each individual residential lot. From the pump chamber a pressurised reticulation
network is directed towards the downstream public council wastewater network. Peak flows are controlled on
each site within the small storage tank.
Of the options evaluated in the Infrastructure Report, Envelope advise that the Control Peak Flows option is considered
to be the most feasible to enable development to occur at an appropriate pace on the site as it reduces the
requirement for Council to undertake immediate wholescale upgrades to the downstream reticulation system.
Whether a centralised system of tanks and pumps is proposed; or individual smaller tanks for each dwelling in
combination with a low-pressure reticulation system, either option can provide the required peak flow control which
would allow the proposed development to connect to downstream reticulation network without affecting capacity
issues.
Envelope recommend that detailed assessments of Peak Flow control options and the appropriate point for connection
into the downstream wastewater network be undertaken as development plans for the site are progressed.
4.3.3 STORMWATER
Full details of stormwater management options for the site are separately covered under the report prepared by The
Urban Engineers, titled Stormwater Management Site Assessment, dated 41 July 2018 – refer Section 4.4 below.
PROPOSED STORMWATER FLOWS
Envelope drawing 1326-01-OA-940, titled Concept Stormwater – Proposed Additional Stormwater Retention Areas is
provided in Appendix 1 of the Infrastructure Report (refer Appendix Three) to give an indication of where stormwater
retention may be provided to aid in achieving hydraulic neutrality, post development.
4.3.4 WATER SUPPLY
Section 5 of the Infrastructure Report outlines that a new reservoir of about 2-3 megalitres (2,000- 3,000m³), situated at
a high level on the site will likely be required to service the development. Envelope drawing 1326-01-OA-930, titled
Concept Utilities – Existing and Proposed Bulk Infrastructure shows possible locations for a water reservoir.
Envelope outlined that the reservoir would be fed by connection from the existing public water reticulation from State
Highway 1. The reservoir will then feed new proposed public watermains which will be laid along every proposed new
roadway to provide water connections to service future development.
4.3.5 POWER SUPPLY
Section 6 of the Infrastructure Report outlines that there are existing 33 KV and 11 KV overhead power transmission
lines passing across the southern corner of the site (shown on Envelope drawing 1326-01-OA-930, titled Concept
Utilities – Existing and Proposed Bulk Infrastructure). The transmission lines are not covered/ protected by an easement
as they are protected by Statutory Use Rights under the Electricity Act 1996.
Envelope advise that undergrounding of the overhead lines will be required for the proposed development to occur and
recommend that further detailed discussion will need to be undertaken with the services authority as development
details are finalised.
There is also an existing power transformer located towards the existing entrance to the site on James Street.
Envelopes investigations indicate this transformer will require a significant upgrade which is manageable and
recommend that Wellington Electricity be commissioned to provide a new power supply and streetlight supply network
extending along all proposed new roads to service the development.
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Based on Envelopes discussions with Wellington Electricity to date, Envelope consider that the site can adequately be
supplied with power from existing surrounding infrastructure networks.
4.3.6 GAS SUPPLY
Section 7 of the Infrastructure Report references the existing Certificate of Title for the site that illustrates an existing
gas easement registered over the site. This easement is 20 metres wide and is aligned in an east – west direction across
the bottom third of the site. Envelope advise that it is unlikely that buildings will be allowed to occur within the
easement and can therefore be incorporated into roads and /or open space / recreation reserve areas.
Envelope drawing 1326-01-OA-930, titled Concept Utilities – Existing and Proposed Bulk Infrastructure shows the
existing bulk gas main/ easement and also indicates a possible position for relocation of the gasmain into proposed
public road reserve.
Based on their discussions, Envelope consider that the site can be adequately supplied with gas from existing
surrounding gas reticulation networks.
4.3.7 INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICING RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
Based on an assessment of the existing infrastructure, investigations on-site, discussions with Council and other service
providers, and preliminary design, Envelope confirm they are satisfied that development enabled via rezoning of the
site and inclusion of the Precinct Plan in PCC’s District Plan, can be adequately serviced.
With respect to the Draft Precinct Plan, Envelope conclude that, overall, the layout of development zones, roadways,
earthworks and services seeks to minimise effects to existing vegetation/ streams/ sensitive waterways/ wetlands/
erosion prone slopes and visual impacts.
Also, Envelope conclude that while earthworks will be required and number of gullies and streams may be modified, the
footprint of this has been minimised as far as possible while striving to achieve the development potential of the site
and that “the quantum of earthworks proposed is at a scale which is considered reasonable for a development of this
size.”
4.4 STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
The rezoning of the site and adoption of the precinct plan into the Draft District Plan will lead to an increase in
impermeable surfaces within the site. Urban Engineers were engaged to provide an evaluation of site opportunities and
constraints in relation to stormwater quality and stormwater quality. This Stormwater Management Assessment is
provided in Appendix Four.
The Stormwater Management Assessment outlines that stormwater management requirements for the site will be
subject to several ongoing processes including:
• GWRC’s whaitua process to set catchment objectives
• GWRC’s proposed Natural Resources Plan
• PCC’s Draft District Plan preparation process
• Wellington Water’s development of Water Sensitive Design Guides
The Stormwater Management Assessment also confirms that meetings were held with Wellington Water land
development, stormwater and planning staff, PCC Officers and phone conversations with GWRC whaitua and planning
staff to confirm possible future requirements based on the above processes currently in train.
4.4.1 STORMWATER QUALITY
The Stormwater Management Assessment identifies that changes in hydrology that occur with urbanisation can
increase sediment yield in catchments and that a change in land use in the upstream catchments of the site may result
in increased mobilisation of erodible material unless appropriate measures are implemented. Therefore, the report
outlines that all development within the site will need to implement stormwater treatment measures that target
retention and detention of increases of runoff flow and volume.
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The Stormwater Management Assessment also describes other treatment measures that could be introduced to reduce
other contaminants such as copper and zinc.
With respect to stormwater quality site constraints, the report identifies that in The New Zealand Land Resource
Inventory the site is classified as either moderate over slow permeability. This indicates that the site is not suitable for
soakage based stormwater disposal measures such as soak pits.
With respect to stormwater quality opportunities, the report identifies that the site lends itself to Water Sensitive
Design measures as –
“the existing topography, sensitive ecological areas and the highly visible nature of the site requires that any
development takes and inter-disciplinary planning and design approach. This approach is already led to a
clustered development concept – another key aspect of WSD. The proposed use of stormwater treatment
measures will also protect the value of existing sensitive ecological areas within the site and in the receiving
environments.
In line with WSD principles, an integrated approach to stormwater management continues to be appropriate,
with an emphasis on onsite, at source, mitigation techniques.”
STORMWATER QUALITY RECOMMENDATIONS AND DRAFT PRECINCT PLAN RESPONSES
With respect to recommendations to provide stormwater quality outcomes desired for the area, the report identifies
that a range of mitigation measures should be considered in suitable locations taking into account site constraints.
Section 4.4.2 of the Stormwater Management Assessment includes a list of possible stormwater measures that were
prepared based on Urban Engineer’s involvement with the development of Wellington Water’s draft ‘Technical Design
Guides for Stormwater Management Devices’.
Section 6 of the Stormwater Management Assessment identifies suitable stormwater quality design outcomes for the
site:
• Reduce stormwater runoff - reduce stormwater runoff volume and peak flow to predevelopment levels
• Manage stormwater quality - manage stormwater quality to avoid adverse environmental effects
• Promote ecosystem health - promote the health of regional ecosystems and their associated environmental
services through the management of stormwater at the catchment and site scale
• Manage stormwater quantity – integrate stormwater detention measures into existing natural ecological
features
• Deliver best practice - deliver best practice urban design and broader community outcomes as part of
stormwater management delivery
These outcomes have been incorporated into the Draft Precinct Plan document. Further, it is understood that the
Proposed District Plan will include requirements for developments to incorporate WSD measures.
The inclusion of new District Plan rules as well as precinct specific intentions and outcomes will mean that these
measures will be appropriately addressed in the preparation of detailed development plans as part of future resource
consent processes. The extent and range of measures likely to be employed cannot be confirmed at this early stage as
an understanding of the specific areas to be developed, their imperviousness, and the environmental context needs to
be understood.
4.4.2 STORMWATER QUANTITY
PDL confirm that the development of the site will seek to achieve stormwater neutrality i.e. that the development does
not increase the stormwater runoff from the site above pre-development levels. The Stormwater Management
Assessment includes measures to prevent an increase in existing inundation levels that include –
• Limiting peak flow to pre-development peak flow
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• Providing compensatory storage for any flood storage lost due to development within existing inundation areas.
With respect to site constraints to achieving stormwater neutrality, the Stormwater Management Assessment outlines
that –
“the topography of the natural landscape dictates that detention areas are likely to be located in the existing
gullies. However, it is possible that other opportunities to incorporate detention areas may arise as the site is
earthworked as part of the proposed development.”
With respect to site opportunities, the Stormwater Management Assessment outlines that, given that inundation
already occurs on the site, an opportunity exists to investigate augmenting and replicating the existing situation by
locating detention areas in gullies. The report outlines that any development within the existing inundation areas will
need to be undertaken in a way that meets the following requirements:
• Development ensures no loss of flood storage
• Development ensures that there is safe access at the time of flooding
• Development must not impede flood flows in open channels
• Development does not impede fish passage in the event that native freshwater fish are present
• Drainage is provided to protect commercial / business floor levels in a 10-year ARI flood event
• Overland flow paths are protected and remain unimpeded
The Stormwater Management Assessment concludes that -
“…In general, and based on site investigations to date, there appears to be no critical geotechnical or ecological
constraint for gullies being used as detention areas and be subject to infrequent (10 to 100-year ARI) and short
duration (between 24 – 48 hour) inundation. Any site to be used as a detention area would have to be subject to
both a site specific geotechnical and ecology assessment at detailed design stage.”
STORMWATER QUANITY RECOMMENDATIONS AND DRAFT PRECINCT PLAN RESPONSES
Section 6 of the report identifies suitable stormwater quantity design outcomes for the site:
• Manage stormwater quantity – achieve ‘hydraulic neutrality’ by reducing stormwater peak flow to
predevelopment levels up to the 100 ARI event.
• Manage inundation levels - ensures any development within existing inundation areas does not result in the loss
of flood storage.
The Stormwater Management Assessment also identifies that the use of existing gullies is considered an appropriate
way to provide the detention storage volumes required to achieve hydraulic neutrality and will therefore enable the
development to meet Wellington Water’s Draft District Plan provisions provided to PCC as part of their development of
the Draft District Plan (refer Appendix A of the Stormwater Management Report at Appendix Four of this report).
The inclusion of new objectives and policies related to stormwater neutrality in the Draft District Plan as indicated by
Wellington Water, coupled with the inclusion of the above precinct specific outcomes seeks to ensure that stormwater
neutrality will be appropriately addressed in future stages of development of the site.
4.4.3 STORMWATER ASSESSMENT SUMMARY
The Stormwater Management Assessment makes the following conclusions –
“The draft precinct plan has been developed in line with WSD principles and, with the incorporation of suitable
stormwater management measures, the site can be rezoned and development in a manner which is likely to
achieve target stormwater contaminate levels within the receiving environment.
The draft precinct plan also enables the site to be developed with detention areas to preserve existing inundation
levels and compensatory storage to be provided for any development within existing inundation levels.”
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On the basis of the above, at this stage, there are considered to be no stormwater management constraints that would
preclude the site for rezoning and subsequent urban development as per the draft precinct plan.
The stormwater quantity and quality management techniques for the site as assessed in the Urban Engineers Report
will ensure that the ecology and water quality of the Taupō Swamp and Porirua Harbour will be maintained, and that
any potential adverse stormwater effects can be avoided, remedied or mitigated at the time of detailed design at the
consent application stage.
4.5 GEOTECHNICAL AND LAND STABILITY
A Geotechnical Assessment (refer Appendix Eight) was undertaken by ENGEO to comment on potential site
geotechnical challenges / constraints and provide details of potential engineering solutions. Ultimately, the assessment
contributes to determining whether or not the site can support the nature and scale of development provided for by
the rezoning of the site and inclusion of a precinct plan in the Draft District Plan.
The scope of work undertaken as part of the Geotechnical Assessment included:
• A review of published geotechnical and geological information relevant to the vicinity of the site.
• The completion of a preliminary aerial geomorphological terrain analysis of the wider site, to allow specific
comment on slope stability and other geo-hazard risks that may affect future development.
• Preliminary geotechnical hazard assessment, including a site walk over.
The assessment is accompanied by the following maps:
• A geotechnical constraints map based on slope topography
• A map highlighting areas where cut and fill works may be acceptable.
• A geotechnical features map, indicating geotechnical and geological features that have been observed by aerial
geo morphological mapping.
Section 5 of the assessment identifies potential site hazards, that are summarised as follows:
Seismic Hazard:
• The assessment outlines that the combined earthquake hazard map for Porirua City indicates that the area has
a low combined earthquake hazard rating that is derived from –
- Moderate slope failure hazard;
- Variable ground shaking hazard;
- No liquification hazard; and,
- No tsunami hazards.
Slope Instability:
• ENGEO confirm that slope instability may affect future development in some areas and recommend measures
to ensure such hazards can be appropriately mitigated (refer following sections).
Global Instability:
• Deep seated, large scale failures occur where a deep weathering soil profile overlies a non-weathered rock
material. ENGEO confirm that deep seated ‘global’ features may potentially occur at the site, due to evidence of
large scale historic slip scarps.
Shallow Seated Instability:
• ENGEO confirm that shallow surface failures of the soil mantle on the site slopes could potentially occur as a
result of prolonged rainfall, or seismic events.
Settlement:
• ENGEO confirm that, at the large flat, low lying area of the site, static settlement will be prevalent. Machine
boreholes to the west of the site indicate that alluvial soils may exist to a depth greater than 16 mbgl. ENGEO
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outline that this indicates that a thick layer of soft, compressible material may exist at the site that will settle
depending on water fluctuations, and applied loading conditions.
Liquification:
• ENGEO confirm that quaternary sediments, such as the assumed alluvial deposits underlying the flat south-
western area, are generally poorly consolidated and that variable foundation conditions, as a consequence of a
high water table and lateral changes from stream floodplain and swamp environments, may impose some
constraints on building design and construction.
4.5.1 GEOTECHNICAL AND LAND STABILITY RECOMMENDATIONS AND DRAFT PRECINCT PLAN RESPONSES
ENGEO confirm that the hazards identified above will require some form of mitigation to meet the requirements of the
Act, namely Section 106 as follows -
106 Consent authority may refuse subdivision consent in certain circumstances
(1) A consent authority may refuse to grant a subdivision consent, or may grant a subdivision consent
subject to conditions, if it considers that—
(a) there is a significant risk from natural hazards; or
(b) [Repealed]
(c) sufficient provision has not been made for legal and physical access to each allotment to be created
by the subdivision.
(1A) For the purpose of subsection (1)(a), an assessment of the risk from natural hazards requires a
combined assessment of—
(a) the likelihood of natural hazards occurring (whether individually or in combination); and
(b) the material damage to land in respect of which the consent is sought, other land, or structures that
would result from natural hazards; and
(c) any likely subsequent use of the land in respect of which the consent is sought that would accelerate,
worsen, or result in material damage of the kind referred to in paragraph (b).
(2) Conditions under subsection (1) must be—
(a) for the purposes of avoiding, remedying, or mitigating the effects referred to in subsection (1); and
(b) of a type that could be imposed under section 108.Through future land use and subdivision consents,
the provisions of the operative regional plans and the PNRP will guide and regulate earthworks and
specific geotechnical controls for each stage of development on the site.
Table 1 of the Geotechnical Assessment includes potential mitigation options that would be considered at the time of
resource consent.
The location and extent of precincts illustrated on the Draft Precinct Plan have been developed on the basis of, among
other things, the identification of construction opportunities / difficulties as illustrated on the geotechnical constraints
map. The map identifies areas A and B that are gentle to moderately grading slopes that will likely be appropriate for
cut to fill earthworks to create relatively level flat lot areas, therefore requiring reduced engineering and construction
difficulty.
On the constraints map, the remainder of the site (areas C and F), exist within slopes exceeding 40 degrees of more and
have displayed evidence of historical slope instability and display signs of slope alteration or non-engineered
earthworks, or have potential liquification or settlement potential. In these areas, the measures identified in Table 1 of
the assessment will be required to mitigate such hazards.
On the basis of the Geotechnical Assessment, ENGEO concludes that, in their view, there are no geotechnical reasons
why future development that will be enabled through rezoning and the adoption of a precinct plan, cannot be
successfully engineered and constructed.
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4.6 TRANSPORTATION
A Transport Summary Report (refer Appendix Seven) was prepared by Traffic Design Group, now Stantec New Zealand,
to inform the development of the Draft Precinct Plan. This scope of this report was to provide commentary on the
following matters:
• Site Context and Location;
• Development Proposal;
• Site Traffic Generation and Distribution;
• External Roading Connections;
• Impacts on the Wider Network Operation;
• Internal Roading Hierarchy and Typology; and,
• Recommendations
The development envisaged through the rezoning and implementation of the precinct plan will lead to an increase in
residential, commercial and employment related transport needs. With respect to site context the paper outlines that
the scheduled opening of the Transmission Gully Motorway (“TG”) in 2020 will have a marked impact on the manner in
which both local traffic and ‘through-district’ traffic will distribute across the Porirua road network.
The result of this is that the redistribution of District wide traffic flows has the key outcome of ‘freeing up’ significant
capacity on the road network in the vicinity of the site, providing opportunities for development trips to benefit from
this removal of through-district traffic from the current SH1 alignment.
While it is anticipated that the State Highway will be downgraded to a public road, this future nature of the road has
not been designed or agreed between PCC and NZTA. However, it is acknowledged that these parties are aware of PDL’s
desire to provide future access to Plimmerton Farm from this road and has been involved in initial correspondence with
these parties regarding this.
Based on PDL’s development aspirations for the site, Stantec outline that, once fully developed, around 2,000 – 2,500
vehicle movements are expected to be generated by the site during weekday peak hours, with total daily volumes of
around 22,000vpd. Stantec acknowledge that a proportion of these trips will be internal (i.e. between residential and
the primary school and commercial activities) and will therefore not generate any movements to and from the external
road network adjacent to the site.
To determine the likely distribution of external development site trips, the Northern Wellington Area SATURN model
(“SATURN Model”) has been used. The key findings that emerge from this modelling with respect to distribution of
development site traffic onto the wider road network, can be summarised as:
• Model is showing only 10% of development trips would travel to and from the east (via Grays Road) with the
majority of these travelling to and from SH58 (and not TG);
• For trips to and from the south (i.e. between the site and Porirua City or Wellington), the bulk of site traffic
chooses to use the SH1 existing alignment (rather than connecting onto TG at the SH58 Interchange, which is a
longer route); and
• Only around 8% of total trips are routing to and from the north.
4.6.1 ACCESS CONNECTIONS
JAMES STREET
Before TG is in operation PDL intends to apply for resource consent for some development and super lots in Stage 1
with access via James Street. The Transport Summary Report outlines that, with the significant reductions in Main Road
traffic volumes that are forecast, post TG, indicate the roundabout is expected to be operating with a significant
amount of residual capacity, providing a clear opportunity for development site traffic to utilise this external network
connection. Further, it is noted that the possible revocation works from Main Road could possibly facilitate an
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upgrading of the roundabout to signals, providing added pedestrian connectivity through to Plimmerton Village and the
Plimmerton Train Station.
Stantec conclude that the current James Street arrangement at the site access lends itself to a possible priority change
in the future, with traffic travelling between the roundabout and the site having priority, with vehicles using James
Street giving way.
MAIN ROAD STATE HIGHWAY 1
The Transport Summary Report outlines that, with the current speed limit of 100km/hr limit in place, any new accesses
or reliance on these existing connections would need to be designed to meet the required AUSTROADS standards (i.e.
left turn deceleration slip lanes and acceleration lanes). However, a reduced speed limit along Main Road, in
conjunction with the revocation of this route, should form part of the site access strategy, which could include:
• A new ‘left turn in’ / ‘left turn out’ access from Main Road into proposed commercial area (increasing
accessibility/permeability);
• The addition of one or two new signalised intersections mid-way/at the northern end of the site, to enable
better connectivity and reduce concentration of trips on the internal network; and
• A possible road connection from the northern end of the site (through adjacent property) to connect into Airlie
Road intersection, which lends itself to be modified as part of the revocation works (i.e. roundabout), although
it is noted that the existing rugged terrain at the northern end of the site provides challenges to the provision of
a potential road connection to the north of the site, and that it may prove environmentally difficult or
impractical.
It is acknowledged that the above options will require coordination and negotiation with PCC and NZTA, in the context
of any future revocation of the Main Road. Further, a speed reduction along the route and/or some extension of the
current 50km/h limit at the Plimmerton roundabout to the north, would present more opportunities for easier site
connectivity.
GRAYS ROAD
The Transport Summary Report outlines that this route would provide a key link between the site and regional routes to
the east, including accessing SH58 (to the Hutt Valley) and the TG corridor. However, Stantec note there are some long-
term questions around the ability to sustain this route in its present form, due to the area being prone to flooding /
rising water levels. Further, PCC Officers have advised that PCC does not support a road linkage through to Grays Road.
4.6.2 TRAFFIC RECOMMENDATIONS AND DRAFT PRECINCT PLAN RESPONSES
Based on an analysis of the SATURN Model ‘with development traffic added’ for the post Transmission Gully scenario,
Stantec identify that –
• Full development would require reliance on at least two access points;
• Of the options available, the James Street connection offers the most capacity via the existing Plimmerton
roundabout;
• Conversion of the Plimmerton roundabout to signals, or the introduction of new signalised intersections to the
site off Main Road to the north, will require consideration of right turn capacities and associated queue lengths
for inbound traffic to the site (especially during PM peak);
• Any connection with Mo Street could trigger the need for upgrade at the intersection with Grays Road (i.e.
roundabout), to ensure it can operate safely and at an acceptable level of service; and
• SH1 existing alignment to the south generally indicates available capacity to accommodate development site
traffic south through Mana.
It is acknowledged new access points to the site from the Main Road will need to be negotiated with PCC and NZTA as
part (or in parallel with) the revocation process. In this respect, PDL have committed to continuing to engage with PCC
and NZTA through the Phase Two works.
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INTERAL ROAD NETWORK
With respect to the internal road network through the site, Stantec note that the latest 2010 version of NZS4404, that
will likely be adopted within the proposed District Plan, represents the current best practice in terms of linking roading
form to its function and environment. Therefore, Stantec notes that, the internal roading hierarchies would best align
with these standards, while providing some tailoring to suit the topography.
With respect to road typologies, Stantec make the following comments –
• Collector roads through the site will need to be designed so as to not preclude them from accommodating
public bus routes, should there be opportunities to introduce a service in the future. Such a bus route could
potentially leverage off exiting catchments in the neighbouring Camborne and Plimmerton suburbs, for which a
previous GWRC bus route was discontinued due to lack of patronage.
The indicative internal roading network as well as suggested external connections that are identified on the Draft
Precinct Plan have been designed to facilitate a legible roading layout. This will facilitate efficient movement within, and
through, Plimmerton Farm for all modes of transport. It is envisaged that resource consent for future development
within Plimmerton Farm will be required to be generally consistent with the indicative roading network along with the
specific roading typologies that are intended on being developed for the site and incorporated in the Precinct Plan
documentation.
In summary, the Transport Summary Report makes the following recommendations in respect of access and
confirmation of an internal roading network:
• Continued engagement with key stakeholders (PCC and NZTA);
• Identification of access requirements and priorities; and,
• Development of precinct specific roading typologies.
4.7 WALKING, CYCLING AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY
Significant benefit could be obtained in providing a pedestrian/cycle connection through the site and through to the
Plimmerton village area. This would enable residents of the development to have easy access to additional public
transport options.
The Transport Summary Report outlines that there are good existing pedestrian and cycle links between the established
Plimmerton and Cambourne suburbs and outlines that this current amenity could equally serve the development site,
particularly if a Park and Ride carpark were developed on the Plimmerton Farm site. Stantec believes this would deliver
an efficient and safe commuter walking / cycling route to and from the Plimmerton Rail Station via the overbridge, or
via the underpass if the existing Plimmerton roundabout were to be upgraded to signals. Additionally, Stantec identify
that improved north-south connectivity could be achieved through the introduction of at grade signalised intersections
to the north, delivering recreational access between the site and adjacent Harakeke path (which in turn could provide
an attractive commuter cycle route to Plimmerton station).
4.7.1 WALKING, CYCLING AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY RECOMMENDATIONS AND DRAFT PRECINCT PLAN RESPONSES
The Draft Precinct Plan provides for consideration of walking, cycling and pedestrian safety and connectively through
draft precinct outcomes. Also, the Draft Precinct shows provision of pedestrian and cycle routes. On this basis, there is
adequate scope within the envisaged resource management framework facilitated through the rezoning and inclusion
of the precinct plan in the Draft District Plan to require appropriate walking and cycle connections through the site.
The Draft Precinct Plan includes a pedestrian and cycle network that seeks to provide links to the established
Plimmerton and Cambourne suburbs. A park and ride is also proposed in the southernmost corner of the site therefore
promoting walking and cycling from the new development.
It is acknowledged that any pedestrian and cycle links connecting the site with Plimmerton Village will need to be
negotiated with PCC and NZTA as part (or in parallel with) the revocation process. In this respect, PDL are committed to
continuing to engage with PCC and NZTA through the Phase Two works.
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Stantec recommend that additional works should include an assessment of rail transport update and associated
demand for a Park and Ride and further investigation around pedestrian and cycle connectivity design for both
commuter and recreational purposes.
4.8 URBAN DESIGN
An Urban Design Assessment (refer Appendix Two) was prepared by Lauren White of Harrison Grierson to inform the
development of the Draft Precinct Plan. The assessment has a purpose of, from an urban design perspective,
understanding and assessing the contextual issues and opportunities relating to the future development of the site.
The assessment identifies opportunities and constraints in relation to the site’s unique location and environment and
includes a number of recommendations to ensure that the design response gives appropriate regard to such
opportunities and constraints.
The Urban Design Assessment is informed by the Urban Design Compendium, New Zealand Urban Design Protocol and
the Wellington Region Urban Design Principles (contained in Appendix 2 of the WRPS).
The Urban Design Assessment makes a number of critical observations and responses regarding the context of the site,
including:
• The site has a close relationship with Plimmerton but considering its size and capacity for urban development,
should be seen as part of the greater developed urbanised area around the Porirua Harbour;
• Given the size of the site, development is likely to occur over a long period of time and can support a mix of land
uses;
• Approximately half of the site is located within 2km of the Plimmerton train station which provides regular and
convenient rail serves into Wellington CBD;
• SH1’s highway status is likely to be revoked upon operation of TGM, however this portion of road will still
function as an important link between Porirua and Paraparaumu and further north. The proximity to high order
transport infrastructure is an asset and an opportunity and highlights the need to utilise the land resource in a
responsible way;
• The site is incised by numerous drainage corridors which are often vegetated. There are also wetland areas
which retain and filter water prior to leaving the site and entering the Taupō Stream or Tāupo Swamp;
• With a variation in elevation of approximately 200m, the site forms part of the existing rural backdrop to
Plimmerton, which lies between the ridgelines and the coast. As such, it is visible from many publicly accessible
viewpoints and contributes to Plimmerton’ s sense of place. The Urban Design Assessment includes a site
visibility analysis from 10 surrounding viewpoints. The analysis finds that the middle and higher slopes are
predominantly more visible from the majority of the viewpoints; and,
• The topography of the site is varied and is characterised by rolling hills, incised with drainage channels. Only
approximately 20% of the site is of a gradient gentler than 1:5. Development will therefore likely require
significant earthworks for infrastructure and cutting and filling to provide platforms is required.
In response to site topography specifically, with a view to achieving visual integration of buildings and vegetation a
number of strategies were reviewed in the Urban Design Assessment. This includes:
• Respecting natural drainage patterns where feasible;
• Minimising impervious surfaces on lots;
• Utilising retaining walls to reduce the total amount of grading required;
• Alignment of allotments to follow hillside contours;
• Avoiding encroachment of development into areas with sensitive ecological values;
• Cluster development and infrastructure to minimise the need for grading;
• Locating dwellings close together on higher ground and surrounding open space managed collectively in the
location shown on the draft Precinct Plan;
• Provide flexibility and allowances for irregular lot sizes and shapes in order to maximise the number of steep
hillsides to be preserved; and,
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• Locate buildings close to streets with garden space falling to the rear site boundary.
The Urban Design Assessment also identifies that architectural strategies could be employed to integrate buildings
within the topography, which includes providing steps in building foundations, and employing varying building
platforms.
FIGURE FOUR: ARCHITECTURAL STRATEGIES TO RESPOND TO TOPOGRAPHY (Source: Urban Design Assessment)
The steep topography of the site will make it difficult to achieve standardised allotment sizes. In this respect, generally,
it is likely that lot sizes will be larger on steeper slopes with the exemption of clustered development where elevation,
topography and location to services dictates.
In order to gauge how allotment size should be and can be controlled across the site, the Urban Design Assessment
includes a study of average allotment sizes as they relate to elevation and assesses the relationship between lot size,
elevation and topography of four nearby urban environments being; Mana View Road, Motuhara Road, Pope Street and
Aotea Drive. The study found that, generally, as lots are higher in elevation, their average lot sizes increase. However,
the study also found that the Aotea block example is different as, although it is at a high elevation, the lot sizes are
smaller. The assessment outcomes show that, at the visibility which this elevation provides, together with platformed
sections and lack of vegetation, the Aotea block creates an environment that has little visual integration with natural
landscape.
In response to the vastness / extent of the site, and, acknowledging that this presents a significant opportunity to
accommodate a variety of land uses and precincts, the Urban Design Assessment analyses how density of future
development can relate to both location, proximity and accessibility to community facilities and transport options and
the visibility and topography of the site.
The analysis suggests that there are, very broadly, five distinct areas of the site as identified in the figure provided on
Page 29 of the Urban Design Assessment and included as Figure Five below.
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FIGURE FIVE: DESIGN RATIONALE FIGURE (Source: Urban Design Assessment)
The Urban Design Assessment, coupled with evaluations of the other technical experts has culminated in the
preparation of a constraints plan and opportunities plan (refer pages 31 and 32 of the assessment respectively), that
have formed the basis of the development of the Draft Precinct Plan.
4.8.1 URBAN DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS AND DRAFT PRECINCT PLAN RESPONSES
Section 5 of the Urban Design Assessment, makes recommendations with respect to the key drivers for developing the
site. The drivers are grouped to align with the design priorities identified in the Urban Design Compendium:
• Strengthening local communities – To help ensure that proposed development reinforces, rather than
undermines local communities and assists successful project delivery
• Creating places of distinction – Drawing inspiration from a neighbourhood’s indigenous character strengthens
local identity. Context-less designs leads to ‘anywhere’ places
• Harnessing intrinsic site assets and resources – Harnessing the intrinsic resources of the site – the existing
development form, soils and geology, drainage, landscape, solar and wind energy – to create more sustainable
urban development.
• Integrating with surroundings – Achieving careful integration with the landscape or surrounding built
environment, using the right materials, forms and landscape elements for the locality; respecting footpaths,
street and road linkages and relating to existing urban structures.
• Providing vision – A vision focuses community aspirations, sells a scheme to a developer and provides a long-
term aim for project participants. It embodies a strategy for the future that everyone can sign up to and works
towards over a period of time.
The key drivers recommended by the project team Urban Designer has formed the basis for the draft Plimmerton Farm
vision and the precinct intentions and outcomes that, as a working document, all members of the project team have
contributed to.
With the inclusion of precinct intentions and outcomes, a Draft Precinct Plan map (which will continue to be developed
based on further site investigations), and Draft District Plan provisions including objectives and policies, rules and
standards, future subdivision and land use consent applications will be considered under a resource management
framework that is intended to ensure that a high standard of urban design is achieved and the design drivers and
priorities of the Urban Design Compendium are met.
4.9 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
As noted, PDL are seeking the rezoning of the site be included in the Draft District Plan. While not confirmed at this
stage, based on engagement with PCC Officers and review of the District Plan Review documents, it is understood that
provisions of the new District Plan will seek to:
• Provide zoned land and associated rules to ensure Porirua’s needs over the next 30 years are met (this is
required under the NPS as outlined above).
• Explicitly provide for townhouse and medium density housing types subject to a robust resource consent
assessment to enable local effects and context to be considered.
• Provide commercial development opportunities in existing centres and new strategic locations.
• Increase and encourage opportunities for rural lifestyle subdivision.
• Include objectives, policies and rules that discourage residential intensification and growth in places where it is
not safe due to sensitivities associated with the environment.
• Identify key connection routes within the city.
• Introduce objectives, policies and rules requiring basic urban design standards to be met.
• Include a residential design guide for more intensive developments.
• Consider objectives, policies and rules that require new developments to be stormwater neutral.
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• Consider objectives, policies and rules that encourage the implementation of Water Sensitive Urban Design
Features into new developments.
PCC’s District Plan review documents do not outline that the development of greenfield land will be managed via the
adoption of precinct plan framework approach within the District Plan. However, engagement with PCC Policy Planners
has confirmed that this is the desired approach for the Plimmerton Farm site.
PDL proposes to work closely with PCC Policy Planners to ensure zone provisions and the precinct plan are aligned with
PDL’s development aspirations and the desired intentions and outcomes for the site and address the issues raised in the
Porirua City land use planning review document (October, 2017).
At this stage, PDL and their consultant planners have:
• Met with PCC Policy Planners to determine likely zoning and zoning provisions to determine how such zonings
would align with development intentions for the site;
• Confirmed with PCC Policy Planners that it is likely that the residential zone rules will not have minimum lot size;
• Confirmed with PCC Policy Planners that it is likely a new rural residential zone would be introduced into the
District Plan; and
• Confirmed with PCC Policy Planners that various parts of the entire site would be rezoned residential, business,
and public open space, but specific development outcomes will be delivered via a precinct plan approach that
identified intentions, outcomes, objectives, and policies and rules for the specific precincts.
4.9.1 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS
The following sections provide a brief evaluation of the planning considerations that will be required to be worked
through as the development of the precinct plan and associated policy framework develops.
It is envisaged that district plan rules and any additional provisions developed for the Plimmerton Farm precincts, that
would enable maximising the efficient use of the site, while recognising the character and values of the site, would be
worked through with PCC Policy Planners ahead of notification of the Proposed District Plan.
ALLOTMENT SIZE AND SITE COVERAGE
Allotment size and site coverage are managed in the District Plan via the following provisions:
Suburban Zone:
• Minimum allotments size in the Whitby Landscape Protection Area – 10,000m2 (1ha)
N.B there is no minimum allotment size for subdivision outside of the Whitby Landscape Protection Area. Rather,
development is controlled via confirming that, on allotments, it must be practicable to construct a dwelling
which does not contravene any permitted activity standard (i.e. yards, site coverage, height recession planes,
outdoor space etc)
• Maximum site coverage – 35% of net site area.
Rural Zone:
• Subdivision of lots between 5ha – 40 hectares – Discretionary
• One dwelling per certificate of title containing a minimum land area of 2,000m2 where the dwelling does not
contravene any permitted activity standard – Controlled
To achieve the desired outcomes outlined within the Porirua Land-use Planning Review document (October 2017), and
given PDL’s aspirations regarding lot yield, at this stage, it is considered that providing a minimum or maximum
allotment size may not enable the efficient use and development of the site. For this reason, it is considered that the
underlying zone and associated precinct lot size provisions need to address lot size spatially, in that, lot size in each
precinct area, as well as areas within each precinct, would be determined based on its topography, visibility, and the
landscape and ecological values present.
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It is considered that using an average lot size in combination with varying site coverage provisions for individual
precincts would provide the most appropriate response to manage density and enable the urban environment to grow
in response to the communities and future generations’ needs, and in recognition of the site’s topography and
landscape and ecological values.
By way of example, to manage site coverage, the Auckland Unitary Plan uses a maximum building coverage for a range
of lot sizes within the Special Character Area Overlay to manage density. This overlay uses the following maximum site
coverage provisions:
• 55 per cent site coverage for lots up to 200m2
• 45 per cent site coverage for lots between 201m2 – 300m2
• 40 per cent site coverage for lots between 300m2 – 500m2
• 35 per cent site coverage for lots between 500m2 – 1,000m2
• 25 per cent site coverage for lots greater than 1,000m2
Such provisions could be adapted and would be accompanied by minimum outdoor space and front, side, rear setback
requirements to further manage density and to ensure a high quality of individual allotments as well as precinct
amenity is provided.
COMPREHENSIVE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS
At this stage, it is considered that the most appropriate response for providing for Comprehensive Residential
Development within specific areas of the Plimmerton Farm site is to manage this type of development as a permitted
activity that is subject to the following or similar standards (as adopted from Hutt City Council Plan Change 43):
• Site coverage does not exceed 60 per cent
• The maximum height of buildings does not exceed 10m
• The following recession plane requirements are being met:
- 2.5m +45 degrees from all side and rear boundaries
- No recession planes are required from road boundaries and existing or proposed internal boundaries
within the site
• No building is located within the following yards:
- Front yards – 2m
- Side yards – 1m
- Rear yards – 1m
- No yards are required along existing or proposed internal boundaries within a site
• Each dwelling has an outdoor living space for the sole purpose of the residents of that dwelling that:
- Has a minimum area of 20m2
- Has a minimum dimension of 3m
- Has direct access from the dwelling to which it relates
- Is not occupied by any buildings, parking areas, or accessways
• The development must achieve stormwater neutrality.
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• Comprehensive Residential Developments that do not meet the above permitted activity conditions are
discretionary activities.
COMMERCIAL ZONING
One of PDL’s development aspirations for the site is to include commercial activities in the southern portion of the site
and a commercial hub in the centre of the site. While not confirmed, commercial activities could include big-box retail
of approx. 3,000m2 GFA. It is acknowledged that, except for the City Centre zone, Suburban Shopping Centre Policy Area
and Aotea Mixed Use Policy Area, the Operative Porirua City District Plan does not have a specific zone with a
predominately commercial function outside of the CBD. Rather, existing large retail buildings are located within the
industrial and city centre zones some small village shops (like Whitby Village) are located within the Suburban Centre
Policy Area.
The Suburban Shopping Centre policy area may be suitable for future commercial activities within Plimmerton Farm,
although the permitted activities only allow for a combined area or 2000m2. The objectives and policies and rules for
this area are within the Suburban Zone chapters.
It is understood, the rules and policy framework relating to commercial areas is being reviewed as part of the District
Plan review.
5. PROJECT TEAM WORKSHOP AND CONSULTATION
5.1 PROJECT TEAM SITE VISITS AND WORKSHOP
The Project Team undertook a site visit on 17 July 2018 and held an inter-disciplinary full day workshop on 24 July 2018.
The intention of the workshop was to identify and confirm all relevant opportunities and constraints prior to developing
a draft precinct plan for the site.
As outlined in Section 6 of the Urban Design Assessment, key messages from the workshop included:
• There’s an opportunity to include pockets of comprehensively developed higher density units/terraces (say in unit
groups of 20 to 50) in most or all precincts.
• Develop a transect range of appropriate housing typologies from terraces to large lots and identify the
appropriate range for each identified precinct.
• Develop architectural themes to assist with amenity and variety.
• Develop specific road typologies appropriate to the site and its character, possibly responding to each precinct.
• Explore opportunities surrounding SH1 and its future form and speed e.g parking, landscaping etc.
• The northern part of the site currently under forest is not really suitable for residential land – explore
opportunities for recreation and rural.
• Explore options for re-use of existing farmhouse, where practical.
• Topography of the site has challenges for efficient rain gardens, bus routes and standard road typologies.
• There’s a challenge to reconcile a desire for density with minimal earthworks.
• There’s a disjoint between creating platform sites that are easier for subsequent residential development, and
the need to minimise earthworks.
• Leaving secondary earthworks to individual house builders risks sediment issues and lessens the likelihood of on-
lot landscaping.
• Central / shared stormwater devices add value and amenity to subdivisions.
• Key ecological areas should be protected and this can be done by a variety of ways, including ownership by QE2
Trust, PCC, covenant or private management systems (e.g. body corporate).
• The site is re-vegetating over time as grazing is reduced and gullies protected.
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• Public access should be provided through open spaces to create a looped network.
Project team and PCC workshops will continue as the development of the Plimmerton Farm Precinct Plan progresses.
5.2 INITIAL CONSULTATION AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
The Phase One works, has included holding initial meetings with relevant stakeholders to provide feedback on their
expectations for the site and provide advice on key features of the Draft Precinct Plan. Details of initial consultation and
stakeholder engagement are provided below.
At the time of writing, a meeting with Ngāti Toa has not yet been undertaken. A meeting is scheduled for the week
beginning 13 August 2018. Further, in Phase Two, PDL will be looking to engage Ngāti Toa to undertake a cultural
impact assessment and to identify, through consultation with the iwi, opportunities available that will contribute to the
iwi’s role as kaitiaki of the environment.
It is acknowledged that meetings and workshops with relevant stakeholders will continue throughout the further
phases of the development of the Plimmerton Farm Precinct Plan.
5.2.1 PCC - REGULATORY
An introductory meeting between Egmont Dixon (Stephanie Blick), PDL (Brendan Hogan) and PCC Planning Officer
(Michael Rachlin) to discuss the District Plan Review process and confirm timeframes and deliverables for this first
phase of development of the Plimmerton Farm Draft Precinct Plan.
5.2.2 NEW ZEALAND TRANSPORT AGENCY, GWRC AND PCC TRAFFIC ENGINEERS
An initial meeting with the New Zealand Transport Agency (‘NZTA’) and PCC Officers to discuss site access, connectively
from Plimmerton village / train station, multi-nodal transport, yield and the SH1 revocation process.
A further meeting with NZTA, GWRC and PCC to discuss design and function principles with respect to:
• Transit orientated development
• Active modes (walking and cycling)
• Public transport
• Park and rides
5.2.3 WELLINGTON WATER AND PCC ENGINEERS
A meeting with Wellington Water and PCC Engineers was held to discuss three waters and servicing. In particular the
following plans and guides and varying stages of development were discussed:
• GWRC’s whaitua process to set catchment objectives;
• GWRC’s proposed Natural Resources Plan;
• PCC’s draft District Plan preparation process; and,
• Wellington Water’s development of Water Sensitive Design Guides.
To ensure the Plimmerton Farm stormwater assessment undertaken by Urban Engineers includes possible future
requirements follow up conversations were undertaken with Wellington Water land development, stormwater and
planning staff, PCC Officers and phone conversations with GWRC whaitua and planning staff.
5.2.4 PCC PARKS AND FACILITIES
A meeting with held with PCC Officers from the Parks and Facilities team to discuss the provision of recreation spaces,
walking and cycling networks and neighbourhood parks. Among other things, the PCC Officers requested that land for a
future cemetery and sports playing fields be including in the development. PDL will continue to engage with PCC on this
through Phase Two.
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5.2.5 PCC POLICY PLANNERS AND PCC CONSULTANTS
A meeting was held with PCC officers and PCC consultant landscape architects Boffa Miskell to discuss the extent of the
draft Significant Amenity Landscape Kakaho across the site. Further engagement regarding the SAL is proposed in Phase
Two.
5.2.6 IAN BENGE
A meeting with Ian Benge, the long-term owner and resident of the site, to discuss previous engagement with PCC
regarding the identification of Significant Natural Areas and Significant Amenity Landscapes across the site. Following
on from this meeting Mr Benge met with PCC’s consultant ecologists Wildlands to discuss the extent of the Significant
Natural Areas released by PCC as draft for public feedback and consultation.
6. THE PLIMMERTON FARM REZONING AND DRAFT PRECINCT PLAN
6.1 GENERAL
As noted, development aspirations for the site includes a mixture of residential and commercial activity as follows:
• 2,000 Residential dwellings (mixture of densities and forms, from rural lifestyle to medium/high density);
• 8ha Retirement village comprising some 150 dwellings;
• Primary School (with a student roll of 150);
• Supermarket - 3,000m² Gross Floor Area (“GFA”); and
• Big box retail - 3,000m² GFA.
As indicated on the indicative yield plan on Page 13 of the Draft Precinct Plan document, it is estimated that 1,920
dwellings could be achieved on the site. The yield is based on estimating the proportion of vacant allotments and
comprehensive residential developments per precinct.
Indicative development phases are provided on the plan on Page 14 of the Draft Precinct Plan document. Each 5-year
phase is intending on being rolled out in a number of stages i.e. five or so stages within each phase.
The development of the site is proposed to be realised through rezoning the site to residential, commercial and public
open space zonings. The proposed zones have been selected because they facilitate the delivery of the above
aspirations and will, to a degree, give effect to PCC’s aspirations for the site as outlined in their Northern Growth
Strategy.
The proposed new zoning of the site is identified on the draft zoning plan provided on Page 9 of the Draft Precinct Plan
document. The zoning proposed is as follows:
• Residential;
• Commercial / Industrial; and,
• Open Space
As further discussed earlier, in additional to rezoning, in order to fully address and recognise the particular values,
opportunities and constraints of the site as evaluated by the project team experts, a precinct plan approach is
proposed. The Draft Precinct Plan comprises a number of distinct precincts where specific development intentions and
outcomes are sought. Through the introduction of the precincts framework there is an expectation that a high standard
of amenity will be achieved whilst also giving appropriate recognition to the existing values of the site, particularly
ecological, and landscape values. Descriptions, intentions and outcomes for each precinct will form part of the
‘Plimmerton Farm Precinct Plan’ material that will likely be included in a separate chapter of the District Plan (as per the
National Planning Standards template).
The Draft Precinct Plan itself sets out the significant key elements that PDL wishes to see achieved on the site. These
elements include an indicative roading layout, pedestrian and cycle connections, a Park and Ride facility, a public open
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space network, reserves (neighbourhood parks) and the main land uses. Stormwater and infrastructure provision is also
addressed in the servicing and stormwater reports accompanying this report and further work that will be progressed
ahead of notification of the Proposed District Plan.
6.2 THE PLIMMERTON FARM VISION
6.2.1 VISION STATEMENT
The vision for Plimmerton Farm is to create a high-quality living environment that emphases the site’s landscape
character and ecological values whilst utilising the land resource in an efficient and sustainable way to –
• Provide additional housing capacity to meet expected housing demand brought about by projected population
increase and changes to household composition and demographics over the next 30 years.
• Deliver a range of housing typologies to the market to meet a wide range of demographics.
• Complement the existing urban development and contribute to a compact urban form.
• Enable a more efficient and integrated use of the strategic land resource.
• Ensure the new communities are well connected with established neighbourhoods as well as the Plimmerton
Village and Plimmerton Train Station.
The vision for the site is that future development will display the attributes outlined below.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIVENESS
The development will:
• Maximise the value of the land and the efficient use of the land resource with highest appropriate density.
• Implement a range of lot sizes and building forms that respond to topography, precinct character and location.
• Adopt an open space strategy which respects existing stream corridors and overland flowpaths, recognises and
enhances significant natural areas, integrates built form with land form, and provides a land ownership model
which provides for the sustainable long-term management of open spaces.
• Implement water sensitive design measures and achieve stormwater neutrality.
• Where practicable, areas not suitable for development and grazing to revert to indigenous vegetation.
CONNECTIVITY
The development will:
• Implement a connected and legible network of public streets, spaces and paths that offers safe walking and
cycling options, linking key destinations, and following contours where practicable.
• A movement system with a clear hierarchy and range of roading typologies including a primary collector road
providing a possible future public transport loop road and new precinct specific typologies.
• Provide strong and convenient links to Plimmerton Village and further afield with primary access via James
Street with two additional access points from SH1 as development progresses along with an extension to Mo
Street.
• Provide visual connections and public lookout opportunities with key landmarks, high vantage points of
destinations, both within the site and outside
• Provide for identified cultural or historical features of the site.
• Provide a logical staging strategy that is guided by an overarching precinct plan framework.
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VARIETY AND IDENTITY
The development will have:
• A local centre which functions as the heart of the community, encourages social interaction, and provides
employment opportunities.
• A range of allotment sizes and housing typologies from high density to rural lifestyle which attract and support
all ages, including singles, families and aged.
• A range of building materials, built forms and roading typologies to give each Precinct a distinct character and
amenity.
• Individual precincts which create neighbourhoods that offer different lifestyle choices, ranging from large rural
lifestyle blocks to comprehensive residential development e.g. terraced housing.
• Connected open space corridors utilising existing natural areas and landscaped features with walking and
cycling trails located to maximise recreational benefits for the new communities and the wider Porirua district.
6.3 THE PLIMMERTON FARM DRAFT PRECINCT PLAN
The following precincts are proposed:
• Urban Living Precinct
• Community Living Precinct
• Hillside Living Precinct
• Rural Lifestyle Precinct
Details of each of the precincts in addition to the descriptions provided below, are included in Section 6 of the
Landscape Evaluation (refer Appendix Six).
Specific draft intentions and outcomes have been developed for each precinct. Refer details in the following sections.
These draft provisions are included in the ‘Plimmerton Farm Draft Precinct Plan’ attached in Appendix Two of this
report. It is proposed that, along with the precinct plan itself, the intentions and outcomes are included as the
‘Plimmerton Farm Precinct’ in the District Plan.
The intentions and outcomes will be developed further as additional site investigations progress, further consultation
occurs and as public feedback is received on the draft.
Objectives and policies for the precinct will be developed, where, among other things, require that subdivision and
development of the site be consistent with the intentions and outcomes of the particular precinct to which the
application relates.
6.3.1 DRAFT PRECINCT DESCRIPTIONS, INTENTIONS AND OUTCOMES
URBAN LIVING PRECINCT
Urban Living Precinct Description:
The Urban Living Precinct will be a compact residential neighbourhood occupying the lower slopes of the site but raised
above the level of the highway and would enjoy a northerly outlook towards Taupo Swamp. Although characterised by
smaller sections and clusters of comprehensively developed residential enclaves together with some conventional sized
residential development, this precinct will also include commercial activity located alongside the highway and a Park
and Ride facility. As a first stage of the site’s development, it will establish the overall character and set a benchmark for
future development. Some existing drainage corridors and bush areas will be retained to provide visual amenity and
integration, and a neighbourhood public open space will be located to provide a strong visual connection with areas of
high landscape value.
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Anticipated Urban Living Precinct Land Uses:
The anticipated Urban Living Precinct land-uses include:
• Mixed-use (commercial / retail) development;
• Medium to high density, predominantly comprehensive residential development in proximity of, and connected
to, key commercial retail services, transport nodes or open space;
• Standard residential allotments adjoining the existing neighbourhood to the south of the site and elsewhere as
appropriate to the site layout and topography; and,
• Public open space, including, a neighbourhood park and a stormwater detention area; and
• Park and Ride facility.
Urban Living Precinct Intentions:
Given its location, it plays a key role in fulfilling intentions to:
• maximise the development potential at this accessible location;
• support public transport and leverage other existing access points and infrastructure; and,
• strengthen connection with Plimmerton and support its local economy.
Urban Living Precinct Outcomes:
The Urban Living Precinct outcomes include:
• Primary access from James Street that includes a recognised gateway entrance.
• Establish of a logical urban extension of the adjacent existing residential environment.
• Safe and convenient pedestrian access to the site from Plimmerton Village, the Plimmerton Train Station, and
through the precinct to other future precincts.
• A relatively high proportion of comprehensively developed dwellings as well as vacant standard residential
allotments with a mix of allotment sizes and housing typologies.
• A connector road to accommodate a public transport (bus) route.
• Provision for a public road connection to the adjacent landholding to the east of the site to allow for future
connection to other land in the Northern Growth Area and the local road network.
• Precinct specific road typologies that will complement the amenity of the area and support different travel
modes.
• A local public/neighbourhood open space, located such that views towards the wetland area are maximised.
• Retention of protected bush/ecological areas managed in accordance with the Plimmerton Farm Open Space
Strategy6.
• A visual interface with SH1, with amenity landscaping and built form that addresses the precinct as the entry to
the Plimmerton Farm development.
• Visual connections with adjacent public open space.
• Implementation of water sensitive design measures.
Note: Subject to further investigation and consultation precinct outcomes will likely be delivered via:
• An underlying residential zoning with no minimum lot size requirements.
6 The Plimmerton Farm Open Space Strategy is yet to be developed but will include a strategy for the ownership (whether public or private),
management and maintenance of the proposed open space network
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• For the commercial area, an underlying business suburban zoning.
• Comprehensive residential developments provided for as a restricted discretionary activity subject to compliance
with a number of conditions.
• Precinct specific objectives and policies.
• Given the likely variance in lot sizes, precinct specific rules related to site coverage and yards.
• Implementing a Plimmerton Farm Open Space Strategy.
• Adopting urban design best practice via the development and implementation of site specific design guidelines
and roading typologies.
• Adoption of water sensitive design guidelines.
The notes above will not form part of the final Plimmerton Farm Precinct Document that is intended to be incorporated
into the Proposed District Plan but rather, are drafting notes to detail how PDL and the project team, at this stage,
believes the outcomes may be delivered. The methods for delivering the outcomes will be the subject of further
investigation, workshops, and engagement with PCC Policy Planners and other key stakeholders in Phase Two.
COMMUNITY LIVING PRECINCT
Community Living Precinct Description:
The Community Living Precinct is located in the central portion of the site and on lower, less visible slopes. It will
become the heart of the new community, providing public facilities and spaces to foster social interaction. A new
primary school and neighbourhood park, along with a local retail centre will be supported by surrounding residential
development with a range of lifestyle options including a retirement village, all of which will be highly connected to the
other precincts by public transport and walking and cycling routes. This precinct is located adjacent to the site’s central
and primary open space system which will have public recreation opportunities along with high ecological value.
Anticipated Community Living Precinct Land Uses:
The anticipated Community Living Precinct land-uses include:
• A neighbourhood centre with convenience retail and social services;
• A primary school;
• A retirement village;
• Some comprehensive residential development around key commercial/retail services, transport nodes or open
space networks;
• Predominantly conventional vacant residential allotments; and,
• Public open space and a connector road through the precinct enabling a public transport loop route.
Community Living Precinct Intentions:
The intentions of the Community Living Precinct are:
• To establish a community heart/focus that is well connected to the entire development and to the wider District
via two new access points from SH1.
• To provide for daily convenience needs, social services, and recreation.
• To balance residential yield with topography and landscape character via the provision of comprehensive
residential development and standard vacant residential allotments; and
• Protect the significant natural area in the centre of the site as Open Space and an important amenity feature
with pedestrian linkages to the Precincts.
Community Living Precinct Outcomes:
The outcomes of the Community Living Precinct include:
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• Provide two intersections with SH1 (or road as identified) with right turn lanes to provide access from both
north and south directions.
• A well connected and compact neighbourhood centre with high pedestrian priority/amenity and high-quality
landscaping.
• Safe and convenient pedestrian access across the precinct and to other precincts and one that maximises
sightlines of and access to public open space.
• A mix of housing typologies and lifestyle choice with higher density typologies clustered around the
neighbourhood centre or adjacent to open space networks.
• A primary school that has a spatial relationship/connection with the neighbourhood centre and the public open
space network.
• Residential development that balances yield with the need for land modification via the provision of
comprehensive residential development and standard vacant residential allotments.
• Allotments that are located and designed to respect and accommodate natural drainage corridors.
• A connector road that provides a public transport loop route.
• A local public/neighbourhood open space that could include a community playground with a high degree of
public access via walking and cycling trails, in close proximity to other community services and with views of
adjacent public open space network.
• A legible and balanced interface with SH1, with amenity landscaping and built form that addresses the street.
• Implementation of water sensitive design measures.
Note: Subject to further investigation and consultation precinct outcomes will likely be delivered via:
• An underlying residential zoning with no minimum lot size requirement
• Comprehensive residential developments provided for as a restricted discretionary activity subject to compliance
with a number of conditions
• Precinct specific objectives and policies
• Given the likely variance in lot sizes, precinct specific rules related to site coverage and yards
• Implementing a Plimmerton Farm Open Space Strategy
• Adopting urban design best practice via the development and implementation of site specific design guidelines
and roading typologies
• Adoption of water sensitive design guidelines
HILLSIDE LIVING
Hillside Living Precinct Description:
The Hillside Living Precinct is located in the northern portion of the site and has some areas of steep land and more
visible slopes. It is some distance from the Plimmerton centre and railway station but is in close proximity to the new
neighbourhood hub developed in the Community Living Precinct. With its extent defined by wetlands, steep slopes and
vegetation, this precinct will be distinct and enclosed but is well connected to the community living precinct. It will be
characterised by more conventional residential development which respects the varied natural topography and
transitions to the steeper slopes in the central portion of the site. Two existing wetlands that feed Taupo Swamp, along
with stands of existing vegetation will provide this precinct with high landscape amenity which will contribute to its
character and sense of place.
Anticipated Hillside Living Precinct Land Uses:
The anticipated Hills Living Precinct land-use include:
• Predominantly vacant lot / conventionally size residential development;
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• Clusters of comprehensively developed dwellings at higher density (maximum 20%) where appropriate and that
consider visibility, landscape character, and topography;
• Two existing wetland areas proposed to be managed by QE2 Trust7; and,
• Public open space for neighbourhood park.
Hillside Living Precinct Intentions:
The intentions of the Hills Living Precinct are:
• To balance residential yield with landscape character;
• To create a visual transition to higher slopes and retire and incorporate steep regenerating hillside slopes into
private sections; and,
• To provide a residential catchment to support the neighbourhood centre and to offer additional lifestyle
choices.
Hillside Living Precinct Outcomes:
• A gateway feature in the form of the existing wetland area, to be protected.
• The two existing wetland areas of high value retained and proposed to be owned and maintained by QE2 Trust.
• Safe and convenient pedestrian access across the precinct and to other precincts;
• A mix of housing typologies and lifestyle choice.
• Residential development that balances yield with the need for land modification.
• Residential development with landscaping to aid visual integration of the development with existing urban
areas.
• Residential sections that respect and accommodate natural drainage corridors and steep slopes.
• Road typologies that are appropriate for steeper slopes and lower density neighbourhoods.
• A good interface with SH1, with amenity landscaping and built form that addresses the street.
• Visual connections with adjacent public open space.
• Water sensitive design practice, where practical.
Note: Subject to further investigation and consultation, precinct outcomes will likely be delivered via:
• An underlying residential zoning with no minimum lot size requirement;
• Comprehensive residential developments provided for as a restricted discretionary activity subject to compliance
with a number of conditions;
• Precinct specific objectives and policies;
• Given the likely variance in lot sizes, precinct specific rules related to site coverage and yards;
• Implementing a Plimmerton Farm Open Space Strategy;
• Adopting urban design best practice via the development and implementation of site specific design guidelines
and roading typologies; and,
• Adoption of water sensitive design guidelines.
7 This objective is subject to consultation with the QE2 Trust
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6.3.2 RURAL LIVING PRECINCT:
Rural Living Description:
The Rural Living Precinct is located in the northern and eastern portion of the site and comprises steep land and visible
slopes that provide a backdrop and skyline for both the site and the wider area. The indicative road layout that, where
possible follows contours of the site and sits below key ridgelines, ensures connections to the new neighbourhood hub
developed in the Community Living Precinct. Pedestrian and cycle connections through the proposed open space
networks also provides connections to key new services. With steep rolling topography, visible slopes, and adjoining
rural land uses, development within this precinct will be characterised by predominately rural lifestyle development
with, where appropriate clusters of standard residential development. Given the visible nature of this precinct, building
location, form and materials will be carefully considered and regeneration of retired grazing land to regenerating native
bush encouraged.
Anticipated Rural Living Land Uses:
The anticipated Rural Living Precinct land-uses include:
• Rural lifestyle lots on steeper parts of the precinct with sensitively placed building sites;
• Clusters of standard residential development as appropriate for the topography and landscape requirements,
along with pockets of comprehensively developed smaller sites; and,
• Public open space for a neighbourhood park and other outdoor adventure activities.
Rural Living Intentions:
The Rural Living Precinct intentions are:
• To provide a transition to adjacent rural land;
• To provide residential yield appropriate to landscape character and value.
• To create a visual transition to higher slopes and retire and incorporate steep hillsides into private sections.
Rural Living Outcomes:
The Rural Living Precinct outcomes include:
• Some continued pastoral grazing
• A mix of housing typologies and lifestyle choice with a mix of larger rural style properties and smaller lifestyle
lots and clustered residential development where appropriate.
• Residential development that minimises land modification.
• Residential development with landscaping strategies and architectural guidelines to aid visual integration.
• Residential sections that respect and accommodate natural drainage corridors and steeper slopes.
• Road typologies that are appropriate for steeper slopes and lower density neighbourhoods, including some
private roads.
• Safe and convenient pedestrian access across the precinct and to other precincts.
• Visual connections with adjacent public open space and wider area (coast).
• A public “look out” space and a walking trail along the higher part of the site to form part of the Te Araroa Trail.
• An outdoor adventure facility.
• Water sensitive design practice, where practical.
• Retired steep slopes privately owned and managed. At the northern end of the Precinct the retired slopes to
have shared ownership arrangement to manage transition from pasture to re-vegetation.
Note: Subject to further investigation and consultation, precinct outcomes will likely be delivered via:
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• An underlying rural residential zoning;
• No minimum or maximum lot sizes but rather lot sizes determined via slope and connectivity;
• Precinct specific objectives and policies;
• Given the likely variance in lot sizes, precinct specific rules related to site coverage and yards;
• Implementing a Plimmerton Farm Open Space Strategy;
• Adopting urban design best practice via the development and implementation of site specific design guidelines
and roading typologies; and,
• Adoption of water sensitive design guidelines.
6.3.3 OTHER PRECINCT PLAN FEATURES
OPEN SPACE NETWORKS
Open space outcomes include:
• Significant natural areas vested with PCC as ecological, recreational, and stormwater drainage assets;
• Wetlands adjacent to Taupō Swamp proposed to be vested with public or covenanting agencies and also be
available as a gateway / amenity feature;
• Neighbourhood parks to be provided and vested with PCC;
• Some bush areas to be privately owned and managed by a small number of sections;
• Protection via private land covenants;
• Some steep slopes in the transition area of the Hillside and Rural Living Precincts to be retired and managed via
a body corporate with a shared ownership arrangement; and,
• Some drainage corridors to be retained and revegetated where practical and owned and managed by adjacent
residential sections.
Note: Subject to further investigation and consultation precinct outcomes will likely be delivered via:
• An underlying Public Open Space zoning;
• Plimmerton Farm specific open space specific objectives and policies and an Open Space Strategy to form part of
the Precinct Plan documentation; and,
• A PCC / Developer development agreement that includes provisions relating to the vesting of public open space.
ACCESS AND TRANSPORT
Access and transport outcomes include:
• A movement system with a clear hierarchy and range of roading typologies;
• A connected and legible network of public streets and spaces that offers safe walking and cycling options,
linking key destinations;
• A public walkway linking the Plimmerton Village to the lookout area at the highest point of the site;
• Primary access via James Street with two additional access points from SH1 as development progresses along
with potential connection to the neighbouring land parcel to the southeast;
• A roading network with a primary collector road providing a public transport loop road;
• Strong and convenient links to Plimmerton Train Station and the Plimmerton town centre and further afield;
and,
• A Park and Ride facility.
Note: Subject to further investigation and consultation, precinct outcomes will likely be delivered via:
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• Indicative transport network to be illustrated on the Final Precinct Plan; and
• Precinct specific road typologies and cross sections to be included within the Precinct Plan.
SERVICING
Stormwater outcomes include:
• Reduce stormwater runoff volume and peak flow to predevelopment levels.
• Manage stormwater quality to avoid adverse environmental effects;
• Promote the health of regional ecosystems including Taupō Swamp and their associated environmental services
through the management of stormwater at the catchment and site scale;
• Manage stormwater quantity by integrating stormwater detention measures into existing natural ecological
features;
• Deliver best practice urban design and broader community outcomes as part of stormwater management
delivery;
• Manage stormwater quantity by achieving ‘hydraulic neutrality’ by reducing stormwater peak flow to
predevelopment levels up to the 100 ARI event; and,
• Manage inundation levels by ensuring any development within existing inundation areas does not result in the
loss of flood storage.
Note: Subject to further investigation and consultation, precinct outcomes will likely be delivered via:
• Obtaining regional council consents;
• Adoption of water sensitive design guidelines; and,
• A site specific stormwater management strategy if the Wellington Water water sensitive design guidelines are
not adopted into the District Plan.
7. SUMMARY AND NEXT STEPS As part of the Porirua City District Plan Review, Plimmerton Developments Limited (“PDL”) are seeking the rezoning of a
large landholding commonly referred to as ‘Plimmerton Farm’, located at 71 State Highway 1 (“SH1”), Plimmerton.
Plimmerton Farm is currently zoned Rural in the Operative Porirua City District Plan (the “District Plan”) and has been
identified as an urban growth / development area in the Porirua City Council (“PCC”) Northern Growth Area Structure
Plan (“the Structure Plan”).
PDL intend on developing the site for residential purposes, together with some commercial sites, and supporting /
complementary land-uses. At this stage, PDL’s development aspirations for the site include:
• 2,000 residential dwellings including a range of densities and forms, from medium/high density to rural lifestyle;
• Retirement village comprising approximately 150 dwellings;
• Primary School (with a student roll of 150);
• Supermarket – approximately 3,000m² Gross Floor Area (“GFA”);
• A neighbourhood hub comprising necessary community services (i.e. a small medical centre, takeaways etc);
• Big box retail – two 1.5ha lots with approximately 3,000m² GFA each; and,
• A park and ride facility.
To facilitate this, PDL would like the rezoning of the site included in the Draft District Plan that is to be released for
public feedback in October 2018. To achieve this, PDL engaged a team of technical experts to undertake initial context
analysis, site evaluations, and draft precinct planning. The Phase One works included site investigations, engagement
with stakeholders, and a project team workshop.
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The development of the site is proposed to be realised through rezoning the site to residential, commercial, and public
open space zonings. The proposed zones have been selected because they facilitate the delivery of the above
aspirations and will, to a degree, give effect to PCC’s aspirations for the site as outlined in their Northern Growth Area
Structure Plan.
The proposed new zoning of the site is identified on the draft zoning plan provided on Page 9 of the Draft Precinct Plan
document. The zoning proposed is as follows:
• Residential;
• Commercial / Industrial; and,
• Open Space.
In addition to rezoning, in order to fully address and recognise the particular values, opportunities, and constraints of
the site, as evaluated by the project team experts, a precinct plan approach is proposed. The Draft Precinct Plan
comprises a number of distinct precincts where specific development intentions and outcomes are sought.
The Draft Precinct Plan itself sets out the significant key elements that PDL wishes to achieve on the site and is of an
appropriate density and layout considered acceptable by the project team. These elements include an indicative
roading layout, pedestrian and cycle connections, a park and ride facility, a public open space network, reserves
(neighbourhood parks), and the main land uses.
The precinct plan will guide future development and minimise potential adverse environmental effects. The rezoning
proposed and inclusion of a precinct plan into the Proposed District Plan will provide certainty to PCC, GWRC,
landowners, and the community regarding the scale and nature of development that would occur at Plimmerton Farm.
The District Plan review process provides the mechanism in which to deliver the precinct plan.
From a strategic planning and growth point of view, rezoning of the Plimmerton Farm site presents mutually beneficial
outcomes for –
• TPDL through the realisation of its development aspirations;
• The Plimmerton and wider Porirua community via the introduction of new social, community, educational and
recreational assets, and new and varying housing stock (including affordable homes); and,
• For PCC through providing sufficient residentially zoned land to accommodate 30+ years of population growth
(as required in the NPS-UDC as further detailed in Section 3 below).
Ultimately, PDL recommend that PCC adopt the Draft Precinct Plan for inclusion in the Draft District Plan to be
released in October 2019.
7.1 NEXT STEPS
Further investigations and stakeholder engagement will be progressed to fully explore and adequately assess, the
potential effects associated with the development of the site and to refine and finalise the final Proposed Plimmerton
Farm Precinct Plan.
The following Phase Two works are proposed ahead of the notification of the Proposed District Plan in mid to late 2019
are proposed:
1. Key stakeholder engagement and consultation with Ngāti Toa;
2. PCC workshops;
3. Greater Wellington Regional Council (“GWRC”), the New Zealand Transport Agency (“NZTA”) and Wellington
Water workshops;
4. PCC Officer workshops.
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5. Further technical site investigations including servicing, hydrological, archelogy and the commissioning of a
cultural impact assessment, including –
a) Detailed services investigations particularly with respect to wastewater and stormwater management
b) Further investigations and discussions around the extent of the proposed Kakaho Special Amenity
Landscape (SAL).
c) Further investigations and discussions around the purpose of the Kakaho SAL to ensure the implications
on the Northern Growth Area Structure Plan are clearly understood.
d) Further investigations and discussions around the extent of Significant Natural Areas SNA PCC050, PCC
197 and PCC198.
e) Detailed ecological surveys of the freshwater and riparian environments, especially for plants, fish and
macro-invertebrates, to more accurately determine protection and restoration priorities;
f) Investigate and consider restoration action on Camborne Bush and Plimmerton Swamp East which are
two very important SNAs on the property but currently significantly degraded;
g) Hydrological flow investigations to establish where ephemeral flow paths are situated;
h) Further investigation of options for maintaining grazing, forestry or conservation management on
various parts of the property, including minimising fire risk, during the implementation of the
development project.
With PCC Officers and other key stakeholders, Phase Two will also include development -
• Precinct specific objectives and policies;
• Precinct specific bulk and location standards (if required);
• Precinct specific roading typologies;
• An open space strategy; and,
• A stormwater management strategy.
The above work will culminate in the finalising of the Plimmerton Farm Proposed Precinct Plan document, and
associated provisions for inclusion in the Proposed District Plan.
8. LIMITATIONS This report:
• Is for the use by Plimmerton Developments Limited and Porirua City Council only and should not be used or
relied upon by any other person or entity or for any other project; and
• Has been prepared for a specific project described to use and its extent is limited to the scope of work agreed
between the client and Egmont Dixon.
No responsibility is accepted by Egmont Dixon Limited or its directors, servants, agents, staff or employees for the
accuracy of information provided by third parties and / or the use of any part of this report in any other context for any
other purposes.
