New rules proposed for shelterbelts and crop structures

Clearer, simpler rules for shelterbelts and crop protection structures are being proposed for rural parts of Waipā – and the community is invited to have its say.

Waipā District Council has today publicly notified Proposed Plan Change 25 (Shelterbelts and Artificial Crop Protection and Support Structures). The changes aim to help growers protect their crops while managing impacts on neighbours, roads and essential services.

Group manager district growth and regulatory services Wayne Allan said the plan change is critical for Waipā’s rural sector.

“The current rules make it difficult for growers to put up crop protection structures where and when they are needed,” he said.

“The proposed changes are about finding the right balance – supporting productive rural land use, keeping people and infrastructure safe, and reducing unnecessary red tape.”

The proposed plan change was shaped through early engagement with mana whenua, iwi, growers, landowners and other stakeholders. More than 70 people and organisations provided feedback through meetings, site visits and the Have Your Say platform.

That feedback helped refine the draft provisions in early 2025. They were then reviewed by Elected Members and shared with community boards, mana whenua and iwi, and other stakeholders and interest groups before notification.

While government changes to the Resource Management Act paused council-led plan changes nationwide, the council applied for and received an exemption from the Minister Responsible for Resource Management Reform in November 2025, allowing Proposed Plan Change 25 to move forward.

Key features of the proposed plan change include:

• Clearer rules on where shelterbelts and crop structures can be located on farms and lifestyle properties
• Requirements for planting and maintaining shelterbelts
• New setbacks from property boundaries, roads, electricity lines and gas pipelines
• Controls on the size, height and colour of crop protection structures.

“We encourage everyone living in or next to the rural areas to have their say and help us to set a clear direction for the future,” Allan said.

The submission period for Proposed Plan Change 25 opens on Thursday, January 15, and closes at 5pm on Friday, February 13.

Anyone can make a submission. For more information and to make a submission, visit waipadc.govt.nz/planchange25 or council offices.