The District Plan is a document that guides the way Ashburton District is used and developed, and to ensure the protection of natural and physical resources. The District Plan was made operative in September 2001.
The District Plan identifies issues in the District and sets objectives, which are what the Plan is aiming to achieve. Policies are the course of action being followed to achieve the objectives, which are achieved through rules
and other methods. Rules control the use of land and development to minimise the effects on the environment, for example, the distance of a building from the boundary with a neighbour.
The District is divided into zones that recognise the different land uses within the District and what the District Plan is aiming to achieve in those areas. The zone a property is within will determine the rules that are relevant to that property. To identify the zone a property is within please refer to the Planning maps or contact the Planning Department of the Council.