During the March round of the Biodiversity Fund, 20 applications were received requesting a total of $81,000 for grants. Grants totalling $62,000 were awarded to 19 different applicants. The funded projects include initiatives for revegetation, predator control, and fencing, all aimed at protecting, enhancing, and managing indigenous biodiversity in Dunedin.

An advisory group has been established by Dunedin City Council to inform a future ‘Heritage Action Plan’ to address key issues relating to heritage buildings in Dunedin.

The Dunedin Heritage Fund (DHF) Committee received 12 grant applications to its April round requesting a total of $421,000. The Committee awarded grants totalling $214,000.

The Dunedin City Council and Otago Regional Council are jointly developing a Future Development Strategy (FDS) for Dunedin in partnership with mana whenua and supported by Waka Kotahi and Kāinga Ora.

We are currently working to better understand business land needs across Dunedin. This includes an external retail trends analysis and internal assessment. The findings of both will be used to inform the Future Development Strategy and any potential changes to the 2GP.

Good progress has been made on resolving the remaining 2GP appeals over the last few months, with only a handful left unresolved.

Decisions on Variation 2 Hearing 4 (which related to new greenfield residential rezonings) were released on 8 February 2023. The appeal period closed on 21 March 2023 and 16 appeals were received. These cover a number of sites across the city and most seek that the sites are zoned residential.