12. Urban Environments Volume One [D] 12.M.6 Regional and district rules A range of regional and district rules will apply to subdivision, use and development activities in business and industrial environments. District rules will set standards for a wide range of permitted business and industrial activities. More stringent standards will apply at the boundary of zones, especially where industrial zoned land adjoins non-industrial land and there is a need to protect the amenity of these adjoining zones to avoid reverse sensitivity issues. Where permitted activity standards cannot be met, a Discretionary Activity resource consent will be required. Consent will also be required for activities not related to industrial or business activities. Issue 12C – Subdivision and development within urban environments can lead to increased demand for essential infrastructure services. In urban environments, most properties are serviced with infrastructure including water, sewerage, stormwater management, roading and access to that roading, power and telecommunications. The urban environment could not function efficiently or effectively, and community health standards would deteriorate, without these essential services. This is because: • Marlborough’s urban communities create a demand for water for human consumption and production purposes; • the density of development generates a concentrated discharge of contaminants, both sewage and trade waste; • the density of development generates a concentrated discharge of stormwater from structures and hard standing areas; • there is a need for vehicular, cycling and pedestrian routes within and to each community and the density of development generates high traffic volumes; and • people require energy and telecommunications to function in the home and maintain contact with others. Subdivision and development of land may result in adverse effects on existing essential infrastructure. The demand for services may exceed the capacity of the existing infrastructure, impairing the ability to continue to effectively service the remainder of the community. Subdivision or development may be proposed to occur in locations that are not efficient relative to the planned provision of future extensions to the infrastructure. The provision of infrastructure can also potentially have financial implications for the community as subdivision and development may give rise to a demand for new, or upgraded, infrastructure that is not within the financial ability of the community to fund. Any of these situations, or a combination, can lead to unsustainable outcomes in the urban environment. [RPS, D] Objective 12.9 – The condition, capacity, efficiency and affordability of essential infrastructure services reflects the needs of Marlborough’s urban environments. Most of Marlborough’s urban communities rely upon the provision of water, sewerage, stormwater management, roading, power and telecommunications infrastructure services. It is therefore important that these essential infrastructure services are provided for and managed in a way that ensures the needs of Marlborough’s urban environments are met. This objective is very relevant to the subdivision and development of land in urban environments as it will inevitably give rise to a demand for an extension and/or increase in the capacity of existing services, or the need to provide new services where they do not currently exist. While wanting to ensure that any future development is adequately and appropriately serviced, it is also important that that the condition, 12 – 24