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Keeping poultry, pigs, bees

Keeping chickens and poultry

We have a bylaw which sets out the requirements for keeping poultry, bees and other animals in urban areas in the Gisborne district. Permission is required to carefully control and avoid any nuisance to neighbours.

Poultry includes geese, ducks, pigeons, turkeys, peacocks and domestic fowls of all descriptions, age and gender.

Poultry may be kept in a Gisborne residential zone  - mainly Gisborne city, without permission, but in accordance with the following conditions, if:

  • the poultry is always kept in a properly constructed and maintained fowl house and/or a properly enclosed poultry run
  • there are no more than 12 head of poultry
  • there are no roosters, geese, peacocks or peahen.

Poultry may be kept in other residential zones  - mainly rural townships, without permission, but in accordance with the following conditions, if:

  • the property and adjoining properties are of rural character (with regard to the activities carried out and the area of the property)

In all residential zones

The poultry house or poultry run cannot be any closer than 10 metres from any house or other sensitive use or be any closer than 2 metres from any boundary.

In all zones
  • The poultry house and run must be constructed and maintained so as to ensure that no nuisance occurs from its existence or use.
  • Parasites, flies and other pests must not reach levels that may create a nuisance to neighbours or a health risk to humans or animals.
  • Any discharge of objectionable or offensive odour must not be of an extent that it causes an adverse effect beyond the boundary of the property.
  • Effective fencing or other containment measures must be provided to confine poultry within the site and to prevent them from gaining access to neighbouring properties.
  • Poultry must be kept in such a manner that no other nuisance occurs.
  • No nuisance shall be caused by any activity associated with the keeping of poultry including storage of food and waste.

To keep poultry outside these conditions, you need written Council approval.

Intensive farming requires consent under the Resource Management Act.  The activity is defined as Discretionary under the District Plan. The resource consent process for intensive farming may prescribe more conditions than those in Council bylaws.

Keeping bees

Bees may be kept without permission in a Gisborne urban area residential zone - mainly Gisborne city, if:

  • the property where the bees will be kept has an area greater than 600m2
  • only one beehive on a property with an area of between 600m2 and 900m2
  • a maximum of 2 beehives on a property with an area of 900 m2 or more
  • 3 beehives maybe kept on a property with an area of 900 m2 or more so long as there are no dwellings or sensitive uses on adjoining properties.

Bees may be kept without permission within other residential zones (mainly rural townships) if:

  • a maximum of 2 beehives on the property
  • 3 beehives may be kept on the property so long as there are no dwellings or sensitive uses on adjoining properties

The following conditions apply for keeping bees in all zones:

  • placement of beehives is a critical factor in avoiding problems for neighbours
  • Place an obstruction in front of hives or elevate them to ensure that bees fl y at least 2.5m above the ground before crossing the site boundary
  • position hives so as to ensure that the primary flight path will not affect your neighbours homes or living areas
  • provide a water trough
  • talk to your neighbours about when they are happy for you to do hive working and manipulation

If you split beehives already on a property, causing a greater number of beehives than that allowed, the beehives must be removed:

  • by 30 September – for beehives split between March and August
  • within 6 weeks – for beehives split between September and February
  • hives must be constructed and maintained so as to ensure that no nuisance occurs from its existence or use
  • parasites, flies and other pests must not reach levels that may create a nuisance to neighbours or a health risk to humans or animals.
  • bees must be located and kept in such a manner that no other nuisance occurs
  • No nuisance shall be caused by any activity associated with the keeping of bees including storage of honey and waste.

If an environmental health officer considers that any bees are being kept in a manner or position that is considered to cause a nuisance, action may be taken which may include the destruction of bees.

To keep bees outside these conditions, you need written Council approval.

Keeping pigs

Pigs may be kept without permission if they are kept in a rural zone; and

  • pigs are not allowed to move within 10 metres of any house
  • manure, swill and feed are not be stored within
    • 10 metres of any house
    • 50 metres of any neighbouring house or other sensitive use
  • pig shelters are at least 10 metres from any house
  • pig shelters that are occupied by 1 to 3 adult pigs are at least 50 metres from any neighbouring house or other sensitive use
  • pig shelters that are occupied by 4 or more adult pigs are at least 100 metres from any neighbouring house or other sensitive use.

The District Plan allows the keeping of 10 pigs per hectare. That is one pig per 1/10th of a hectare.  Keeping more than this requires a resource consent.

The following conditions apply for keeping pigs:

  • pig shelters and enclosures must be constructed and maintained so as to ensure that no nuisance occurs from their existence or use
  • parasites, flies and other pests must not reach levels that may create a nuisance to neighbours or a health risk to humans or animals
  • any discharge of objectionable or offensive odour must not be of an extent that it causes an adverse effect beyond the boundary of the property
  • effective fencing or other containment measures must be provided to confine pigs within the site and to prevent them from gaining access to neighbouring properties
  • pigs must be kept in such a manner that no other nuisance occurs (including any activity associated with the keeping of pigs such as storage of food and waste).

To keep pigs outside these requirements, you need written Council approval.

Application for keeping animals

Before you complete this form note that you need to upload a map with your application. To access a map of your property, visit Tairāwhiti maps

Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*).
Applicant details
First name and surname
If different from above
I am the: *
I have the consent from my adjacent neighbours:
Animal details
If different from residential
Type of animals *
Total number of hives, poultry etc.
Outlining the location of waterways, fencing and enclosures for all animals kept.
Outlining the location of waterways, fencing and enclosures for all animals kept.
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