Current Issues

Hill Country Corporation Ltd. and associated land owners are have continued to contest HDC Plan Change 38, and they are now seeking a special exemption from Plan Change 38 for their land at Ocean Beach.

In essence, Hill Country are now seeking a lower level of environmental protection, and easier development rights for their land , than would apply to all the other rural zoned land in the HDC coastal environment.

The exemption and special rules sought by Hill Country Corporation will be heard and decided by the Environment Court.

We are awaiting notification of the date for the Environment Court Hearing.

The other parties supporting the Council’s Plan Change are the Department of Conservation, the Regional Council, and the Waimarama Maori Committee, as well as several individuals who submitted in support of the Council’s Plan Change.


Future Ocean Beach Trust submitted in support of the original HDC Plan Change, and we continue to support Plan Change 38. We will be calling expert landscape and heritage witness evidence as part of the FOB submission to the Environment Court.

We will advise when we know of the date for the Environment Court Hearing.