Incompatible Activities Indicators (what we measure)

What are incompatible activities?

Incompatible activities happen when one activity has a negative impact on another nearby activity. This can happen when farming activities affect nearby dwellers, or dwellers intrude on farmland or nearby businesses. The most common negative effects that create these situations are loud noise, offensive odours and nuisance from dust, vibration, and glare. Incompatible activities have a higher chance of occurring if new developments and new houses are built in certain areas such as sites neighbouring industrial spots or established intensive farms (e.g. chicken and pig farms).

Our Situation 

The most common complaint received by Council is about loud noise. Most of these complaints are related to loud stereos in urban areas; however noise from activities such as industry, farming and other activities also has negative effects.

Odour from farm activities, particularly from chicken and dairy farming, along with other activities such as effluent disposal, smoke from fires, and rubbish, also contribute to the issues within the district. Dust and vibration also create a nuisance, although these are less common than noise and odour.

Noise complaints increased steadily until a peak of 570 in 2011/12, before dropping slightly over the next two years. In 2014/15, noise complaints rose again to 533 before fluctuating over the next three years. In 2017/18, there were 442 noise complaints and in 2018/19 that number dropped to 434 complaints. Odour complaints, which are consistently the second greatest cause of complaint after noise, have remained more constant, but at much lower levels; 39 odour complaints in 2018/19. There have been only two complaints about vibration, four about glare, and no complaints about rehabilitation since 2011/12. The vast majority of noise complaints since 2010/11 have been about loud music in residential areas.

Number of building or resource consents granted within 500m of an intensive farm or within a scheduled industrial site

The two consents granted in 2011/12 were for additional dwellings located within 500 metres of the intensive farms with which they were directly associated.