6.3 Volcanic Viewshafts and Height-sensitive Areas
Introduction
The purpose of this overlay is to protect significant views of Auckland’s volcanic cones through the use of viewshafts and height sensitive areas.

This overlay contributes to Auckland’s unique identity by protecting the natural and cultural heritage values of significant volcanic cones.

This overlay incorporates two elements:
1. The volcanic viewshafts protect identified regionally significant views to the volcanic features. The volcanic viewshafts are identified as a layer on the planning maps. It is non-complying activity for buildings to penetrate the floor of the volcanic viewshafts except where the land is within a height sensitive area, as explained below.
2. Height sensitive areas are areas of land located on the slopes and surrounds of the volcanic cones. These areas are mapped and are identified as a layer on the planning maps (GIS viewer) and are marked . A reasonable level of development is allowed in these areas, therefore it is a permitted activity to built up to 8m in these locations. Height Sensitive Areas provide a visual buffer around the volcanic cones and ensure that development is of a scale or location that does not dominate the local landscape or reduce the visual significance or amenity values of the volcanic feature.
1. Activity table
 Activity  Activity Status
 Development (where it penetrates the floor of a volcanic viewshaft)
Buildings and structures up to 8m high in a height sensitive area except residential sites with a boundary adjoining a volcanic feature.  P
Buildings and structures on residential zoned site that shares a boundary adjoining a volcanic feature up to the average height above sea level of the boundary common with the volcanic feature.  P
Buildings and structures except in a height sensitive area.  NC
Buildings and structures over 8m high in a height sensitive area except residential sites with a boundary adjoining a volcanic feature.  NC
Buildings and structures on residential zone that shares a boundary adjoining a volcanic feature higher than the average height above sea level of the boundary common with the volcanic feature.  NC
 Network utilities and road networks (where it penetrates the floor of a volcanic viewshaft)
Minor infrastructure upgrading  P
Operation, repair and maintenance of existing network utilities  P
Road lighting and support structures  P
Traffic and direction signs, road name signs  P
Traffic signals and support structures  P
The floor of the viewshaft is determined in accordance with the survey co-ordinates contained in Appendix 3.3 Volcanic coneview shafts and height sensitive areas coordinates. 
2. Notification
1. The council will publicly notify resource consent applications for all non-complying activities within the volcanic viewshafts and height-sensitive areas overlay. 

3. Development controls
3.1 Minor infrastructure upgrading and operation, repair and maintenance of existing network utilities
1. Maximum height no greater than 25m or 10 per cent in addition to the existing height of the structure whichever is the lesser.
2. Replacement pole diameter will be no greater than 20 per cent larger than that of the original pole.
Figure 1: Illustration of the approach to height sensitive areas