Hamilton City Council
Te kaunihera o Kirikiriroa
This project protects the land for future strategic transport, three waters and utility networks to support planned growth in Rotokauri.
Suburb Rotokauri
Status Completed
Programme Rotokauri
We want Rotokauri to be a community that’s easy to live in and sustainable. The Rotokauri strategic infrastructure designation protects land needed for future transport connections and infrastructure networks such as water, wastewater and stormwater to support planned growth in the area.
The project includes provision for:
The Rotokauri Strategic Infrastructure Designation was confirmed on 11 February 2026 following the Notice of Requirement process.
Click here for information on the NOR process, documentation and plans
What's happening now
We’re now working on a handful of Designation conditions that require action following the confirmation date. We’ll also look at progressing with planning and delivery of infrastructure within the designation area, this will be subject to confirmation through the Long-Term Plan process.
Confirming and protecting the future strategic road and waters networks is a critical step in providing certainty for the development of Rotokauri.
What does the designation mean?
A designation identifies land needed for public works and protects that land from activities that could compromise the future project.
If your property is within the designation area, there may be requirements relating to certain works or development activities.
Click here to see the designation area.
How the designation may affect activities on your property
The designation helps protect land needed for future transport, waters and utility infrastructure in Rotokauri. As a result, some activities within or near the designation area may require written approval from Hamilton City Council before they can be undertaken.
This process is managed under section 176(1)(b) of the Resource Management Act and helps ensure that activities do not prevent or compromise the future construction, operation, maintenance or upgrade of the planned infrastructure.
Whether written approval is required will depend on the nature and location of the proposed activity and will be determined by Hamilton City Council as the Requiring Authority for the designation.
If you are unsure whether written approval is required for your proposed activity, please contact Hamilton City Council’s Duty Planner to discuss your circumstances.
| Example activities that may not require written approval | Example activities that may require written approval |
| General maintenance and repair works. | New buildings or structures. |
| Land use activities happening at the time the notice of requirement was lodged (September 2023). | Earthworks that substantially alter ground level. |
| Routine property maintenance. | Subdivision. |
| Activities or minor works that Council don’t consider affecting future infrastructure delivery. |
Activities or works that Council consider affecting future infrastructure delivery. |
A process is in place to encourage early collaboration between Council and developers whose land is in or next to the designation area. This ensures future development, master planning, and infrastructure planning within the Rotokauri Strategic Infrastructure corridor is coordinated.
Developers and development agencies wanting to discuss development proposals, subdivision plans, or master planning activities should contact the Rotokauri Designations – Communication, Consultation and Property Liaison Manager.
For any enquiries regarding the Rotokauri Strategic Infrastructure Designation, please contact:
Rotokauri Designations - Communication, Consultation and Property Liaison Manager
Phone: 07 838 6699
RotokauriDesignations@hcc.govt.nz
Click here to sign up and receive emails when we begin relevant projects in the designation area.
Council staff have reached out to most landowners that have previously enquired about land acquisition within the proposed designation area. We can meet with impacted landowners and discuss the land acquisition process. Any interest in early land acquisition affected by the future designation can be sent to the Communication, Consultation and Property Liaison Manager.
There is currently no confirmed funding or construction timeframe for the arterial network. From when the designation was confirmed (February 2026), Council has 15 years to begin the designation or ask for an extention. If no action is taken in that timeframe, the designation will lapse.
To support growth in the Rotokauri area, the Rotokauri Structure Plan was developed to provide a high-level indication of the likely routes for roading and the location of community facilities (Rotokauri greenway project) that will support residential and commercial development within the area over the next 20-30 years.
Refer to the Rotokauri Property Acquisition and Management Engagement Practice then contact the Rotokauri Designations - Communication, Consultation and Property Liaison Manager if you have any further questions.
A Requiring Authority is an organisation like a city council, Government entities or utility operators specifically identified under the Resource Management Act as a Requiring Authority who have responsibilities which include planning for and delivering public works. Under the Resource Management Act, the Requiring Authority has the power to designate – identify an area or land – that will be required for public works like roads or other projects.
For this project, Hamilton City Council is the Requiring Authority, represented by the Infrastructure and Assets Group.
A Notice of Requirement (NOR) is the application process for a designation - land or an area identified - for public works. The NOR is prepared by a Requiring Authority and identifies the land required for the works, project purpose and scope. The NOR is generally supported by technical and evaluative reports and assessments. The NOR is lodged with the Territorial Authority and processed in accordance with the Resource Management Act.
Refer to the Rotokauri Property Acquisition and Management Engagement Practice then contact the Rotokauri Designations - Communication, Consultation and Property Liaison Manager if you have any further questions.
Hamilton City Council, as a city council is a Territorial Authority. We’re responsible for local land use management including updating the District Plan – the guide and rule book for development in Hamilton. To manage perceived and actual conflicts we have separate teams within Council doing the roles and responsibilities of Territorial Authority and Requiring Authority.
An area identified in a district plan for future public works, like schools, or roads, is known as a designation. There can be various designations across a city or area that protect the land and allow the planned projects to go ahead in the future. If a Notice of Requirement is approved by the Territorial Authority, then the designation is confirmed and included in the district plan.
Refer to the Rotokauri Property Acquisition and Management Engagement Practice then contact the Rotokauri Designations - Communication, Consultation and Property Liaison Manager if you have any further questions.
Last updated 10 August 2026