South Waikato eyes major expansion of urban land

Thursday, 23 July 2026

The South Waikato District Council’s proposed District Plan change will allow for future growth in Tokoroa, Tīrau and Putāruru.

South Waikato town boundaries could be expanded under a major planning shake-up aimed at opening up rural and lifestyle land for new housing, business and industry in Tīrau, Putāruru and Tokoroa.

District Plan Change 4 would determine where new homes are built, where future industry goes and how town centres evolve, with new “growth cells” proposed for the outskirts of all three towns.

The South Waikato District Council is now consulting on the proposal, which is designed to unlock enough land for decades worth of growth and give effect to the council’s 30-year Growth Plan 2024-2054.

Some of the proposed zone changes for Tīrau will allow for more residential development.

Council documents state the plan change would create seven new growth cells and six “future urban zones”.

The changes would affect residential, commercial and industrial land, as well as wider district plan rules around subdivision, housing density, town centres and natural hazards.

In Tīrau, new residential growth areas are proposed at Church St and Parapara Rd.

Rural land in Putāruru is also being eyed up for future residential developments.

Land at Church Street would change from General Rural Zone to General Residential Zone, while land at Parapara Road West and Parapara Road East would change from Rural Lifestyle Zone to General Residential Zone.

A further area at Parapara Road West would be marked as a future urban zone for residential growth, and another Tīrau site would be set aside for industrial use.

In Putāruru, the plan change proposes new residential zones on Arapuni St and a rezoning of land between Alexander Crescent and Walsall Rise from General Rural Zone to Rural Lifestyle Zone, allowing rural-residential and low-density development on larger lots.

Tokoroa could see new zones opened up for commercial, residential and industrial developments.

Other Putāruru changes include future residential zoning south of Nola St and Totara St, and future commercial zones.

In Tokoroa, residential growth is proposed at 292 Maraetai Rd, changing land from General Rural Zone to General Residential Zone.

Nearby land at 234 and 242 Maraetai Rd would become a future urban zone for residential development.

The plan also proposes rezoning land at Princess Beatrix Ave to a General Residential Zone and creating a second Tokoroa residential growth cell at Richmond Ave.

For industrial growth, land near State Highway 1 and Campbell Rd south of Tokoroa would change from General Rural to General Industrial and Paraonui Rd to the north would become a future urban zone for residential development.

Council planning staff say the change is needed to provide land for new housing, industrial growth and economic development and also proposes wider rule changes intended to support more housing choice and intensification.

These include relaxing some residential subdivision provisions, supporting new housing types, easing standards such as building coverage and outdoor living space and allowing more residential activity in town centres.

A council report stated the Government’s proposed moratorium on council-led district and regional plan changes could affect some planning processes, although staff believed PC4 would likely qualify for an exemption because it supports the Government’s housing growth agenda.

The council is planning a series of public information sessions, which will be confirmed soon. Submissions are open until Wednesday, September 2.