Submissions on introducing natural character provisions into the Thames-Coromandel District Council's Proposed District Plan close this Friday.

The provisions and overlay were withdrawn from the plan in response to submissions received on natural character. At the same time, council resolved to initiate a variation to introduce natural character back into the proposed plan.

Cathedral Cove is one of 87 areas of high or outstanding natural character. Photo: File

This variation has identified 87 areas of high or outstanding natural character and affects 584 properties totalling 9,700ha in private ownership, or roughly 4.5 per cent of the district's total land area.

District Plan manager Leigh Robcke says council is required by national and regional policy to have provisions in its district plan to preserve natural character.

'We have made contact with everyone who made a submission on natural character in the Proposed District Plan,” says Leigh, 'as well as the 584 property owners within the proposed overlay, explaining the variation.”

Leigh explains the variation identifies two levels which are mapped on the overlay planning maps – ‘Outstanding Natural character' and ‘High Natural character'.

‘Outstanding Natural character' is defined as natural areas that are largely unmodified, for example, the land between Kennedy Bay and Wainuiototo/New Chum Bay.

While ‘High Natural character' is defined as natural areas with some degree of modification or development, like the coastal fringe north of Hot Water Beach to Orua Bay.

If a property has an area of natural character mapped on it, then the natural character provisions of the variation will apply to that part of the property covered by the overlay.

The rules are focused on managing activities that will affect the values and characteristics of natural character areas. The highest level of control is applied to outstanding natural character areas.

Leigh says the information shared by with the public includes criteria to assess natural character and explanations about why particular units have ‘high' or ‘outstanding' natural character.

'We're not saying this is final,” adds Leigh. 'We have provided detailed information so the public can make an informed submission and the District Plan Hearings Panel will make decisions on submissions.”

At this stage hearings are set down for early 2016 so decisions on the variation can merge into the decisions on the rest of the Proposed District Plan.

For more information or to make a submission visit the Thames-Coromandel District Council's District Plan Variation 1 - Natural character website.