Hi Julie - thanks for your email message regarding the draft Unitary Plan's approach to schools and Universities. I can advise:

1. The majority (6/7) of the current District Plans around the region have a residential or rural (if they lie in rural areas) zoning for schools. The exception is the Auckland City Plan which has a Special Purpose Education zoning.

All the Ministry of Education schools are also designated. All designations have an underlying zoning. This is required to guide the assessment of outline plans and if the designation is uplifted at the request of the Designating Authority, the underlying zoning becomes the zoning of the property.

Please find attached a copies of letters from the Ministry of Education and Catholic Schools outlining their preference for the "precinct" approach that is currently in the draft Unitary Plan. Integrated Schools are expressed their support - I am trying to track down their letter as well. In our meetings with the Universities, they also expressed preference for a similar approach - an underlying business zone with a Tertiary Education precinct. This was expressed verbally at our meetings with them. Let me know if you require the minutes of these meetings.

In respect of schools, the advantages of a "precinct" approach are:

- schools are able to utilise the base zone provisions for activities such as residential accommodation, hostels and utilise the base zone development controls, unless these are overridden by the precinct controls;
- the precinct can provide for those activities that are specific to schools and or have a more enabling approach for the further development of existing schools which is in line with the directives of the Auckland Plan;
- existing schools in the region can be identified by "turning on" the precinct layer;
- if some of the larger schools have land that is surplus to requirements, there is certainty about what development can take place because there is already a zoning in place. Deletion of the overlying precinct or part of it would require a plan change;
- the approach buildings upon the Learning Quarter approach for Auckland University and AUT and moves away from a "single purpose" school zone
- the approach has strong support form the key stakeholders

2. The zoning approach for schools has therefore only changed for the former Auckland city area. It essentially remains the same for all other parts of the region, except a "school" precinct now also applies.

3. The Auckland Plan committee signed off on the Draft Unitary Plan prior to its release to the public. Officers had raised the issue of how school and universities were to be treated as a potential issue. There was a long list of potential issues so they did not specifically debate it.

4. There has been no undertakings to the Min of Education, other than to adopt the precinct approach for the draft plan. We have obviously worked closely with the Min of Ed, Catholic Schools and Integrated Schools to come up with a planning approach that meets their needs and the needs of the community. If there is widespread public opposition then the Council would consider this as part of the feedback on the draft plan. Note however my comments above, that this approach is effectively what 6/7 of the former Councils have anyway - so it is not new.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Regards

Tony Reidy
Unitary Plan

-----Original Message-----
From: Ruth Keeling On Behalf Of Unitary Plan
Sent: Tuesday, 16 April 2013 3:36 p.m.
To: Tony Reidy
Subject: FW: Official Information Act request - Re-zoning of public education land in Unitary Plan process

Hi Tony,

We have had this request through the Official Information Act. Would it be possible for you to draft a response to the questions below?

Thanks
Ruth

-----Original Message-----
From: Nicole Miell On Behalf Of Official Information
Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2013 2:29 PM
To: Unitary Plan
Subject: FW: Official Information Act request - Re-zoning of public education land in Unitary Plan process

Hi

We have received this as an "Official Information" request but believe it better answered by the Unitary Plan enquiry team.

If you believe they are better processed under the Local Government Official information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA), please advise.

Regards,
Official Information Team

-----Original Message-----
From: Julie Fairey [mailto:[OIA #809 email]]
Sent: Wednesday, 3 April 2013 1:08 p.m.
To: Official Information
Subject: Official Information Act request - Re-zoning of public education land in Unitary Plan process

Dear Auckland Council,

I am requesting written confirmation of information received
verbally that the Ministry of Education has requested that all
school and public tertiary institutions be given under-lining
zoning reflecting surrounding zones through the Unitary Plan
process.

I would additionally like to know:

1. How was the request communicated by the MOE and who did it come
from? Ideally I would like a copy of the request

2. What rationale was given by MOE to change the zoning approach
for public education sites in the Unitary Plan

3. Who within Auckland Council made the decision to accept MOE's
proposal to re-zone all public education sites (including a copy of
any resolution or advice given to a political decision-making
meeting that considered this matter)

4. What, if any, undertakings have been given to the MOE to pursue
this right through the Unitary Plan process by Auckland Council,
i.e. if there is community opposition will Auckland Council be open
to reverting to the previous approach to not having an underlining
zone at all?

I look forward to receiving a response. I can be contacted on 021
287 9900 or by email (email preferred).

Yours faithfully,

Julie Fairey

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[OIA #809 email]

Is [Auckland Council request email] the wrong address
for Official Information Act requests to Auckland Council? If so,
please contact us using this form:
http://fyi.org.nz/help/contact

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be
published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
http://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an OIA officer, please ask your
web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

[Auckland Council]

CAUTION: This email message and any attachments contain information that may be confidential and may be LEGALLY PRIVILEGED. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure or copying of this message or attachments is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email message in error please notify us immediately and erase all copies of the message and attachments. We do not accept responsibility for any viruses or similar carried with our email, or any effects our email may have on the recipient computer system or network. Any views expressed in this email may be those of the individual sender and may not necessarily reflect the views of Council.

hide quoted sections