Planning Resources

The Rotorua District Council commissioned a large amount of research in preparation of the District Plan. Other research commissioned outside the District Plan that may inform development is also listed.

The research reports cover the following topics: strategic planning, important landscapes, natural heritage, city centre, amenity and natural hazards.

Strategic planning

Rotorua Housing and Business Development Capacity Assessments 2021 (Main Report)
Rotorua Housing and Business Development Capacity Assessments 2021 (Technical Report)
Future Development Strategy - (PDF, MB)

The FDS is a long-term strategy for the development of a well-functioning urban environment (the city including Ngongotahā) that provides for the social, economic and cultural wellbeing of its people, as well as directing how and where growth will happen over the next 30 years.

Rotorua Future Development Strategy - (PDF, 23MB)

Rotorua Future Development Strategy - (ebook)

Information on the Future Development Strategy consultation - (Let's talk | Kōrero mai).

Natural hazards

Flood mapping

Following are flood maps and related reports relating to three types of flood assessments:

Pluvial flooding for specific stormwater catchments in Rotorua city and Ngongotahā
Flooding from high lake levels
Fluvial flooding from streams overspilling in the Greater Utuhina Catchment (Rotorua City).

Assessments can overlap in area, providing different results for different sources of flooding. Therefore, all should be considered. The regional councils may also hold further information on flooding that is not available here.

1. Pluvial flooding (stormwater catchments)

Modelling has been completed for pluvial flooding (flooding when high rainfall events exceed ground absorption and the capacity of any drainage system) for specific catchments in Rotorua city (as shown in this Location Map of Rotorua's Stormwater Catchments and Flood Maps (PDF 1.4MB)) and the wider Ngongotahā area to the Awahou Stream.

Below are results and related reports for the 1% annual exceedance probability (AEP) under present and/or future climate conditions. Refer to the linked reports for other model outputs, including for other AEP scenarios.

The flood modelling is indicative only. The models were developed at a catchment, rather than a property-specific, level and incorporate a range of assumptions and limitations as explained in the reports. For example, fine features that may influence the direction of flow, such as kerbs, fences and walls, have not been included in the model. Drainage works that affect the flooding may also not be taken into account. In most cases, there was limited data from actual events against which the models could be validated or calibrated.

Caution should be taken in interpreting the results in and around building footprints. In some models, buildings are treated as elevated areas of land to approximate their impacts on flows. However, actual building floor levels are generally not incorporated into the models and potential inundation of building footprints may not be shown. In other models, buildings are essentially removed, which may imply flooding of buildings that may actually be raised above the modelled flood level.

Future climate scenarios are based on the IPC RCP 8.5 high emissions scenario and, in terms of today’s climate, would have an annual exceedance probability significantly less than 1%.

Special planning rules or Building Act considerations may apply in relation to building or other development affected by potential flooding.

2. High lake levels

Refer to the following report for information on high lake levels for the twelve major Rotorua lakes:

Rotorua Lakes Design Levels Technical Report BOPRC 2022

The approximation of the areas potentially affected by the 1% AEP high lake levels is available on Council's online mapping service GeyserView.

Note – Bay of Plenty Regional Council is currently developing updated projections on climate change impacts on high lake levels.

3. Greater Utuhina catchment fluvial flooding model

Modelling commissioned by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council provides information on areas susceptible to fluvial flooding (stream overspill) in the vicinity of streams in the Greater Utuhina Catchment (Rotorua city). Flooding from direct localised rainfall or pipe surcharges is not shown in these flood maps. For questions on this modelling please contact the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

Landscapes

City centre

Heritage and culture

Natural heritage (biodiversity/ecology)

SNA Site Assessment Reports