Plan Change 44 – Residential Zones

Have your say on Variation 1

Submissions are now open on Plan Change 44 Variation 1.

Variation 1 to Plan Change 44 seeks to rezone land and insert additional Development Area Plans into the operative Taupō District Plan to contribute housing supply and enable residential development within growth areas identified in the Taupō District Future Development Strategy adopted 25 March 2025, or which respond to an identified shortage of zoned Low-Density Residential land.

A number of landowners sought rezoning of land through submissions on Plan Change 44, and Variation 1 seeks to modify the plan change material to include four sites where:

the site meets the criteria set for rezoning within the Plan Change 44 section 32 report; and
sufficient supporting information was provided with submissions.

You can view the variation documents in the drop-down section below:

Submissions on Variation 1 close at 5pm on Friday 13 November 2026.

make a submission

Background

After applying for an exemption to the Government’s “Plan Stop” legislation, Plan Change 44 was approved in part. A revised exemption application was submitted which focused on outdated bulk and location controls, and approved in full.

A further exemption was sought and approved on 15 September 2026, to progress Variation 1 to Plan Change 44.

Plan Change 44 (Residential Zones) makes changes to the bulk and location provisions of the Residential Zones, provides for Comprehensive Housing Developments, and rezones some existing areas that have already been developed.