Draft Eastern Bay of Plenty Local Alcohol Policy - 2023

Consultation has concluded

THIS SURVEY HAS NOW CLOSED

Local alcohol policies (LAP) are not mandatory however, the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 (the Act) allows councils to develop LAPS for their territorial areas. Once a local alcohol policy is in place, the local District Licensing Committee must have regard to the LAP when making decisions on licence applications. Without a LAP, the default provisions in the Act would apply.

The Act sets out the requirements and process for Local Alcohol Policies. LAPS can include policies on any or all of the following matters relating to licensing (and no others):

  • location of licensed premises by reference to broad areas
  • location of licensed premises by reference to proximity to premises of a particular kind or kinds
  • location of licensed premises by reference to proximity to facilities of a particular kind or kinds
  • whether further licences (or licences of a particular kind or kinds) should be issued for premises in the district concerned, or any stated part of the district
  • maximum trading hours
  • the issue of licences, or licences of a particular kind or kinds, subject to discretionary conditions
  • one-way door restrictions.

What's happening now

The Eastern Bay of Plenty District Councils (Whakatāne, Ōpōtiki, and Kawerau) are reviewing the joint Eastern Bay of Plenty Local Alcohol Policy that came into effect in 2016.

You can view the draft policy and supporting documents on each council’s website.

Submissions close: 5pm Friday 28 April 2023

Why do we need a policy?

The draft Local Alcohol Policy aims to minimise alcohol-related harm and to set requirements for licensing that are aligned with community views and address local issues. The vision of the draft LAP is “to support the object of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 and contribute to the safety and health of the communities in the Eastern Bay of Plenty”.

The objects of the Act are stated as:

  1. the sale, supply, and consumption of alcohol should be undertaken safely and responsibly
  2. the harm caused by the excessive or inappropriate consumption of alcohol should be minimised.

The overall objective of the LAP review has been to strengthen and align the LAP to the Act, reduce alcohol related harm, and reflect community feedback.

The joint proposal

The policy has been condensed and wording has been simplified where possible to provide clarity to applicants and the District Licensing Committee, and to remove reference to requirements which are already set out in the Act.

Objectives have been included to clearly provide the Councils’ position and aims for each of the districts.

The draft policy has been developed to align provisions across all three districts, with no differences between each district included.

Any application for a new on or off licence must be for a premise located in a zone designed for commercial or business activities under the relevant District Plan, unless resource consent is granted.

Trading hours are proposed to be aligned across all three districts as follows:

Off-licences: 9am - 10pm (Supermarkets 8am-10pm)
On-licences: 9am -12am
Club licences: 9am - 12am
Special licences: case by case

The definition of sensitive sites has been extended to include primary and secondary schools, childcare facilities, children’s playgrounds, places of worship, marae, and medical centres.

Provision around new licences and proximity to sensitive sites has been reworded to better reflect and align with District Plans and provided the District Licensing Committee better discretion on applications near sensitive sites.

Example discretionary conditions applicable to each licence type have been included to provide more visibility as to what can be imposed.

Submissions

Have your say online at the link below, or download a submission form from the side bar on the right. Submissions closed 5pm Friday 28 April 2023.

THIS SURVEY HAS NOW CLOSED

Local alcohol policies (LAP) are not mandatory however, the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 (the Act) allows councils to develop LAPS for their territorial areas. Once a local alcohol policy is in place, the local District Licensing Committee must have regard to the LAP when making decisions on licence applications. Without a LAP, the default provisions in the Act would apply.

The Act sets out the requirements and process for Local Alcohol Policies. LAPS can include policies on any or all of the following matters relating to licensing (and no others):

  • location of licensed premises by reference to broad areas
  • location of licensed premises by reference to proximity to premises of a particular kind or kinds
  • location of licensed premises by reference to proximity to facilities of a particular kind or kinds
  • whether further licences (or licences of a particular kind or kinds) should be issued for premises in the district concerned, or any stated part of the district
  • maximum trading hours
  • the issue of licences, or licences of a particular kind or kinds, subject to discretionary conditions
  • one-way door restrictions.

What's happening now

The Eastern Bay of Plenty District Councils (Whakatāne, Ōpōtiki, and Kawerau) are reviewing the joint Eastern Bay of Plenty Local Alcohol Policy that came into effect in 2016.

You can view the draft policy and supporting documents on each council’s website.

Submissions close: 5pm Friday 28 April 2023

Why do we need a policy?

The draft Local Alcohol Policy aims to minimise alcohol-related harm and to set requirements for licensing that are aligned with community views and address local issues. The vision of the draft LAP is “to support the object of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 and contribute to the safety and health of the communities in the Eastern Bay of Plenty”.

The objects of the Act are stated as:

  1. the sale, supply, and consumption of alcohol should be undertaken safely and responsibly
  2. the harm caused by the excessive or inappropriate consumption of alcohol should be minimised.

The overall objective of the LAP review has been to strengthen and align the LAP to the Act, reduce alcohol related harm, and reflect community feedback.

The joint proposal

The policy has been condensed and wording has been simplified where possible to provide clarity to applicants and the District Licensing Committee, and to remove reference to requirements which are already set out in the Act.

Objectives have been included to clearly provide the Councils’ position and aims for each of the districts.

The draft policy has been developed to align provisions across all three districts, with no differences between each district included.

Any application for a new on or off licence must be for a premise located in a zone designed for commercial or business activities under the relevant District Plan, unless resource consent is granted.

Trading hours are proposed to be aligned across all three districts as follows:

Off-licences: 9am - 10pm (Supermarkets 8am-10pm)
On-licences: 9am -12am
Club licences: 9am - 12am
Special licences: case by case

The definition of sensitive sites has been extended to include primary and secondary schools, childcare facilities, children’s playgrounds, places of worship, marae, and medical centres.

Provision around new licences and proximity to sensitive sites has been reworded to better reflect and align with District Plans and provided the District Licensing Committee better discretion on applications near sensitive sites.

Example discretionary conditions applicable to each licence type have been included to provide more visibility as to what can be imposed.

Submissions

Have your say online at the link below, or download a submission form from the side bar on the right. Submissions closed 5pm Friday 28 April 2023.

  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    Draft Eastern Bay of Plenty Local Alcohol Policy - 2023 Feedback

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