District Plan
What the district plan is
The Rotorua district plan sets the framework for managing land use and development within the Rotorua district. The plan includes objectives, policies and rules to address the effects of land use and development.
You can use the district plan to find out whether what you are doing is permitted or if it will need resource consent.
The Rotorua District Plan was made operative in 2016. It was restructured in July 2021 as part of the implementation of the National Planning Standards.
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District Plan Changes
A list and summary of plan changes that are operative and included within the District Plan.
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District Plan Maps
There are four series of maps that accompany the district plan. You can use these maps for planning and development within Rotorua.
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Planning Resources
Resources for planning and development. These reports have been prepared as part of research for the District Plan.
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Statutory Acknowledgements in the Rotorua District
A statutory acknowledgement is a formal acknowledgement by the Crown in Treaty of Waitangi claim settlement legislation.
You may need to apply for a resource consent if your project could impact the environment. Visit the Resource Consent section to get guidance on planning and resource consents.
Part 1 - Introduction and General Provisions
Part 2 - District - Wide Matters
Part 3 - Area - Specific Matters
- Business and Innovation Zones - (PDF, 1.4MB)
- City Centre Zones - (PDF, 1.5MB)
- Commercial Zones - (PDF, 1.6MB)
- Development Areas - (PDF, 2.1MB)
- Reserves, Community Assets and Water Zones - (PDF, 1.9MB)
- Future Growth Zones - (PDF, 1.1MB)
- Industrial Zones - (PDF, 1.4MB)
- Designations - (PDF, 3.1MB)
- Residential Zones (PDF, 1.5MB)
- Rural Zones (PDF, 2.2MB)
Part 4 - Appendices and Maps
Appendix 1 - Parking, Access and Turning - (PDF, 878.9KB)
There have been changes to the names and abbreviations of some spatial layers in the text of the District Plan as a result of the restructuring of the District Plan and implementation of the National Planning standards. Use the provided translation table to interpret the planning maps.
Part 5 - Lakes A Zone
Part 5 relates to a number of lakes to the east of the Rotorua CBD called the Lakes A Zone.
It consists of two volumes of text and a set of planning maps.
Volume 1 - Sections 1 - 10
Volume 2 - Section 11 - Appendices 1-11
- Index to Appendices (PDF, 16KB)
- Appendices 1 - 11 (PDF, 671.8KB
- Rule 1.1 (full text version)
Appendix 12
Appendices 13 - 14
Appendix 15
Appendices 16 - 18
Other relevant documents
Kaituna River Document
see page 11 of the Kaituna River Document for the area which is influenced by the document. Note, resource consent applications within this area "must have regard" to the Kaituna River Document.
Rotorua Intensification Design Guide
This design guide aims to support developers, landowners, designers, the council and the wider community to achieve good design for higher density residential developments.
The Design Guide complements the Rotorua District Plan and expands on matters covered within Ngā Tohutohu Hoahoa ā-Motu mō te Wharenoho Mātoru-waenga - the National Medium Density Design Guide.
Lakes A Zone Design Guides
These guidelines provide practical advice and illustrations to assist owners, developers and designers in the Lakes A Zone to achieve design which takes into account the naturalness of the area.
