Big mailout on volcano view plans

The plan changes will restrict the height above ground for new building. Photo / Martin Sykes

More than 78,500 property owners and occupiers have been sent letters outlining proposed rules to protect views of Auckland's volcanic cones.

But Auckland Council says any person can make a submission on the volcanic view shafts in the region-wide district plan changes which are publicly notified today. Submissions on the proposals close on July 1.

The plan changes will restrict the height above ground for new building.

A council spokesman said the changes were a statutory requirement to align the Auckland District Plan with the Regional Policy Statement.

Some of the changes alter the height of existing view shafts and others add 35 shafts and delete seven.

This is a separate process from the 11-week draft Unitary Plan public engagement, which closes at 5pm today.

Last month, a majority of councillors voted to have the changes dealt with separately from the process to write the Unitary Plan, which may be notified later this year.

"The plan changes only affect the district plan that is in place at the moment, not the draft Unitary Plan," said the spokesman.