Ashburton District Council - Business Zone Planning Rules
The below guidance is our knowledge of the rules and regulations and is provided to assist you in your assessment and early planning but does not constitute official or legal advice.
When building an Industrial Building within the Business Zone in Ashburton District there are some key rules to follow to make sure you comply with to avoid requiring a Resource Consent.
Industrial Buildings are permitted activities in Business D and E Zones
Note: Industrial Buildings/Activities are
- Non Complying activity in Business A, B and F Zones
- Discretionary activity in Business C Zone
- Controlled activity in Area 1 - Ashburton Business Estate
It is also prohibited for any provision for vehicular access to site or activity in Business E Taits Road Zone
To help you understand the requirements a brief description is noted below.
SITE STANDARDS
Building Height
Business D 15 metres
In the amenity setback area adjacent to the Ashburton River (Hakatere) in the Business D Zone (Riverside) identified on the Outline Development Plan in Appendix 5-3, the maximum height of any building shall be 6m.
Business E 15 metres
On those sites in Area 1 of the Ashburton Business Estate (Business E Zone) immediately adjoining the buffer, the maximum height of any building shall be 10m.
Setback from Roads
Business D and E 5 metres
except that for Company Road: buildings up to and including 5m in height – 5m buildings or over 5 metres in height – 10m
Setback from Internal Boundaries
Business D - no specific setbacks mentioned
Business E - Ashburton Business Estate Only
Where the site directly adjoins the 75m buffer, as defined in the Outline Development Plan, any building shall be setback 10m from one internal side boundary that is generally perpendicular to the boundary with the buffer. This setback from an internal side boundary shall not apply to those parts of any building which are sited 20m or more from the boundary with the buffer.
Building Coverage
Business D 75% of net site area
Business E 75% of net site area and a minimum of 20% of the site shall be
permeable surfacing, being free of paving, concrete or bitumen.
Amenity
Where a site adjoins a site zoned Residential, Rural or Open Space, the following standards shall apply:
- the minimum setback of buildings from the Zone boundary shall be 4.5m.
- buildings shall not project beyond a building envelope constructed by recession lines from points 2.3m above internal boundaries adjoining Residential Zones, as shown in Appendix 4-1 to the Residential Zone section.
- a landscaped area with a minimum width of 2m shall be established and maintained along internal boundaries adjoining the Residential or Open Space Zone, and shall be planted with species, which at maturity, will screen the buildings from the adjoining sites.
- In addition, a solid wall or close boarded fence with a minimum height of 1.8m shall screen any outdoor storage areas.
Other factors in Site Standards for permitted activities include
Outdoor Storage and Display, Landscaping and Trees, Setback from Stopbanks and Water Bodies, Design and Appearance - Business Zone E, Offensive Processes - Business Zone E
There are specific Zone Standards to comply with and consider including
Lighting, Offensive Processes, Outline Development Plans and Limitations on Activities, Company Road access and Flood risk
Other rules applicable to Industrial Zones in the Ashburton District Plan
HAIL and Contaminated Land
From experience, XL is aware a lot of industrial land may have been developed on contaminated or HAIL land.
The Ashburton District Plan has rules and policies in place for contaminated land.
XL Structural will be able to assist you with your project to ensure you are not breaching these requirements.
Carparking
The Ashburton District Plan has rules and policies in place for the various Zones for car parking and landscaping. If providing car parking you will still need to comply with
NZS 4121:2001 and provide 1 accessible car park per 1-20 spaces.
It is also important to consider the surrounding environment and where your staff working within your new building will park if limited spaces are provided.
There are also minimum dimensions for car parks depending on the layout you choose to use on your site, along with turning circle and road width requirements. XL can work through the best car park layout for your site with you.
These are the main rules that your building needs to comply with to avoid needing a resource consent, it is important to understand there may be further rules to comply with.
District Plans can be challenging to navigate, we would recommend reaching out to the XL Structural team who will be happy to conduct a concise and detailed preliminary planning review for your project.
You can find the full Ashburton District Plan Business Zone Section here
