Forty submissions have been received so far on four proposed plan changes to the Southland District Plan, all relating to the Te Anau area.

Council resource management planner Luke McSoriley said it was important that people take the opportunity to submit on the proposed Plan Changes and urged anyone who wants to make a submission to do so before Monday 23 November, when submissions close.

The plan change proposals were publicly notified on 17 October and anyone can make a submission, Mr McSoriley said.

Three of these proposed changes are Council-initiated. The fourth proposed change has been initiated by private landowners who own land on the south-eastern periphery of Te Anau, which they are seeking to have rezoned under the District Plan.

The first change seeks to expand the existing Industrial Resource Area and relates to an area east of the existing Industrial Resource Area. If approved, this will provide additional scope for future industrial expansion and will include a recently consented industrial subdivision/ development.

The second proposed change seeks to expand the existing Urban Resource Area of Te Anau by incorporating recently consented subdivision developments currently sitting outside the present Urban Resource Area boundary into the Urban Resource Area. This will also provide some additional scope for future residential expansion.

The third proposal relates to the creation of a proposed Lakeside Protection Area, which seeks to strengthen the height provisions in the current District Plan in relation to land close to the Lake Te Anau foreshore. Currently, the maximum height limit in the Urban Resource Area is 12 metres, but resource consent can potentially be sought and obtained for buildings higher than that.

The private plan change seeks to rezone 128 hectares of land owned by T E and A Buchanan from its current zoning of Plains Rural Resource Area to Te Anau Residential B Resource Area, with two associated Scenic Protection Zones (the portions of the property closest to State Highway 94) to facilitate future residential development in this locality.

A summary document of the proposed Plan Changes, along with larger background reports, is available at Council Offices and on the Southland District Council's website.

All submissions must be received by Council by Monday, 23 November.