Waterfront Zone — Whangārei
Overview
The Waterfront Zone manages land use and subdivision within Whangārei's Waterfront, located on the edge of the Hatea River (estuarine) and Waiarohia Stream, adjacent to the City Centre. The zone comprises two distinct areas:
- Waterfront Commercial Area: Small-scale retail, restaurants, passive recreation, cultural activities, and artisan craft industries
- Waterfront Mixed-Use Area: Residential, commercial, community activities along Hīhīaua Peninsula, Riverside Drive, and Port Road
Objectives
WZ-O2 Enabled Development: Promote a safe, accessible and vibrant waterfront prioritising pedestrians and cyclists. Enable development as a hub for tourism, recreation, arts and cultural activities.
WZ-O4 Amenity and Character: Support a range of land uses complementing the City Centre Zone and compatible with surrounding Residential and Open Space and Recreation Zones. Protect and enhance sense of place, amenity, character, cultural, heritage, ecological and recreational values.
Policies
WZ-P1 Character and Amenity: Protect and enhance physical and visual connections with waterways, coastal marine area and City Centre. Promote residential activities in Waterfront Mixed-Use Area. Recognise character and amenity values including accessible waterfront connections, high sunlight access, moderate noise levels, minimal noxious odour/noise from marine industrial activities, ample social interaction opportunities, limited off-street parking, pedestrian and cyclist focus, historical/cultural significance, and ecological value of waterbodies and margins.
WZ-P2 Land Uses: Provide for compatible land use activities reflecting maritime, open space, arts, culture, retail, recreation and tourism themes.
WZ-P3 Subdivision and Development: Require subdivision and development to complement character, enhance amenity, protect cultural/historic heritage, enable passive surveillance, provide direct safe pedestrian and cyclist routes, and enhance ecological value.
WZ-P4 View Shafts: Protect view shafts and improve walkability by providing public open space and visual/physical connections (cycleways, walkways, laneways).
WZ-P6 Esplanade Areas: Manage bulk and location of major structures to maintain pedestrian scale and open atmosphere with ample sunlight. Ensure buildings and major structures are sufficiently set back from Mean High Water Springs to safeguard esplanade areas and manage flooding risks.
WZ-P7 Active Frontage: Strengthen interrelationship between buildings and public realm by requiring ground floor active frontage and entrances oriented towards roads and waterways.
WZ-P8 Residential Activities and Visitor Accommodation: Promote mixed-use environment by enabling appropriately designed residential activities and visitor accommodation within Waterfront Mixed-Use Area.
WZ-P9 Subdivision: Enhance walkability and street amenity by requiring sufficient site frontages to avoid rear sites, emphasise corner sites, and maintain narrow site frontages.
Building Standards
| Rule | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum building and major structure height | 11m above ground level | Minor buildings exempt from design rules WZ-R3–R8 |
| Height in relation to boundary | Height = 3m + shortest horizontal distance to Residential Zone or Open Space and Recreation Zone boundary | Calculated formula |
| Setback from Residential Zone or Open Space and Recreation Zone boundary | 3m minimum | For all buildings and major structures |
| Setback from Mean High Water Springs and top of bank (rivers >3m wide) | 10m minimum | Excluding bridges, culverts and fences |
| Site coverage | 50% maximum | Building and major structure coverage of site |
| Ground floor interior floor-to-floor height | 3.8m minimum | — |
| Upper floor interior floor-to-floor height | 3m minimum | Above ground floor |
| Ground floor clear glazing | 55% minimum | Building frontage and building faces oriented to Open Space and Recreation Zones |
| Ground floor active frontage | Clear glazing 55% minimum | Principal public entrance faces road (front sites) or waterway (sites adjoining water/Open Space and Recreation Zones) |
Parking Standards
| Rule | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Setback from road boundary | 2m minimum | Excluding garages and on-street spaces |
| Setback from Mean High Water Springs | 20m minimum | Except where parking is inside building subsidiary to another activity |
Fencing Standards
| Rule | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum height | 2m above ground level | — |
| Visual permeability within 3m of road boundary | 50% minimum | For any portion above 1m high |
| Visual permeability within 30m of Mean High Water Springs or Open Space and Recreation Zone boundary | 50% minimum | For any portion above 1.5m high |
| Prohibited materials | Barbed wire, broken glass, electrification | — |
Waterfront Commercial Area — Permitted Activities
| Activity | Conditions |
|---|---|
| General Retail Activity | Business net floor area ≤250m² |
| Food and Beverage Activity | Business net floor area ≤250m² |
| Cultural and Community Activities | Permitted |
| Artisan and Craft Activities | Permitted |
| Marine industrial activities | Compliant with setback and screening rules |
Waterfront Mixed-Use Area — Permitted Activities
| Activity | Conditions |
|---|---|
| General Retail Activity | Ground floor location; business net floor area ≤600m² |
| Food and Beverage Activity | Ground floor location; business net floor area ≤600m² |
| Cultural and Community Activities | Ground floor location |
| Residential Units | Gross floor area ≤300m²; minimum net floor areas and outdoor living courts required |
| Visitor Accommodation | Permitted |
Residential Unit Standards (Waterfront Mixed-Use Area)
| Unit Type | Minimum Net Floor Area | Minimum Outdoor Living Court | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | 45m² | 4m² (≥1.5m depth) | — |
| 2 bedrooms | 70m² | 8m² (≥2.4m depth) | — |
| 3 bedrooms | 90m² | 8m² (≥2.4m depth) | — |
| 4+ bedrooms | 90m² + 12m² per additional bedroom | 8m² (≥2.4m depth) | — |
Waterfront Commercial Precinct (PREC10)
Located at 129 Port Road. Recognises established commercial and industrial activities.
PREC10-P1 Enabled Activities: Provide for ongoing operation of industrial activities and trade retail activities while managing adverse effects on adjacent Waterfront Zone.
PREC10-P2 Cross Precinct Boundary Effects: Avoid adverse noxious effects and external effects (visual, traffic, dust, noise, odours). Mitigate cross-precinct boundary effects through building setbacks, frontage, access, hours of operation, and landscaping.
PREC10 — Permitted Activities
| Activity | Conditions |
|---|---|
| Industrial activities and trade retail | Must comply with boundary screening and setback requirements |
| Storage/stockpile outdoor areas | Screened from public places, surrounding sites, and adjacent Waterfront Zone |
| Sensitive activities | Ground floor location; no motor vehicle fuel retail/dispensing |
PREC10 — Restricted Discretionary Activities
| Activity | Conditions | Matters of Discretion |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial or trade retail activities | Hours: 06:00–18:00 only; boundary planted with trees/shrubs (1.8m height, 1m depth; 1.2m near road) or fenced/screened (1.8m height; 1.2m near road) | Effects on adjacent Waterfront Zone; reverse sensitivity effects; cross-precinct boundary incompatibilities; site layout and access; nature of activity and noxious characteristics |
| Sensitive activities (non-ground floor) | Same boundary planting/fencing requirements as above | Same as above |
Information Requirements
WZ-REQ1 Urban Design Assessment: All applications for resource consent pursuant to WZ-R3–R11 must include urban design assessment prepared by a suitably qualified professional detailing:
- Consultation undertaken (including Council Urban Design Panel) and recommended mitigation measures
- Consistency with best practice urban design, relevant objectives/policies, and