How the District Plan may affect your business

Some of the proposed changes in the Draft District Plan affect businesses within our district. If you are a business owner, or you are planning to start a business, here are some ways the draft district plan may change things for businesses. We say MAY, because it's not a done deal yet. Do you think we got it right? Give us your feedback by clicking here. 

Will it be easy to start a business from home? 

You can still run a home business but there are limits on how many people can be employed, the hours of the business and so on. You can also host up to 5 guests in the home you live in without consent, which normally means 2-3 rooms can be let out. We recognise this is an important income stream for many people, but also recognise that it can impact on adjoining neighbours.

Where will the factories go? 

That depends. The draft plan recommends a General Industrial Zone for most industrial uses and a Heavy Industrial Zone for higher impact activities such as meat processing plants. We’re also considering whether a Light Industrial Zone would be better suited to some areas of Ōamaru that are closer to residential areas. 

What can happen in a mixed use zone? 

Quite a lot. Like housing, visitor accommodation, education, community uses and limited commercial activity to make sure as much of these as possible remain in our town centre. The Mixed-Use Zone in Ōamaru wraps around much of the town centre and historic areas so quality design outcomes are encouraged in the plan. 

How are we encouraging retail or living spaces in the town centres? 

Our main tool for encouraging this is through the Town Centre Zone which covers Ōamaru’s central business area.  

The Town Centre Zone enables a wide range of commercial, community, educational, visitor and residential activities to take place. We’re trying to encourage a vibrant and attractive town centre to live in, work in and to visit, where there are high quality buildings that reflect the heritage values of the area.  
 
You can view the full District Plan by clicking here.