Current Alerts and Notices (View all)

Road conditions(2)

Dunedin City Council – Kaunihera-a-rohe o Otepoti

Draft Local Alcohol Policy 2026

Last updated: 25 Aug 2026 11:57am

Closes: 25/09/2026

The Dunedin City Council is proposing to make a new Local Alcohol Policy (LAP) and welcomes your feedback.

The purpose of a LAP is to ensure that the sale, supply and consumption of alcohol occurs in a safe and responsible way and that alcohol-related harm is minimised. The proposed LAP seeks to create an enabling policy that reflects community preferences, recognises the local context of Dunedin, and supports vibrant, safe communities.

Dunedin's current LAP came into effect on 1 February 2019 and overall is considered to be working well; having a positive effect on alcohol consumption behaviours although more can be done.  Since the present LAP was made, evidence has emerged regarding the effectiveness of various measures aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm. The draft LAP builds on the existing framework by introducing targeted changes intended to further reduce alcohol-related harm while balancing the needs of residents, visitors, businesses, and communities.

Proposal

The principal proposed changes are:

Licence Location – Sensitive Facilities

Expand the definition of a sensitive facility proximity for new licence applications to include:

  • Marae.
  • Places of worship.
  • Addiction treatment services.
  • Rehabilitation services.
  • The Dunedin Central City Bus Hub.

New Off-Licence Location Freeze

Introduce a restriction on new off-licences within:

  • High Deprivation Areas – areas identified   using the New Zealand Deprivation Index.

Off-Licence Trading Hours

Reduce permitted trading hours to:

  • Monday   to Sunday: 9.00am – 9.00pm

External Advertising and Promotion of Alcohol

Introduce an off-licence discretionary condition so that the District Licensing Committee should prohibit external advertising and promotion of alcohol unless there is a good reason not to.

Additional Off-Licence Discretionary Conditions

Include discretionary conditions that the District Licensing Committee should consider imposing unless there is a good reason not to.

These conditions include:

  • Limits on single-unit alcohol sales.
  • Restrictions on "buy now, pay later" purchasing schemes.

A discretionary condition on alcohol sales in glass containers is also proposed

On-Licence Trading Hours

Change the earliest alcohol sales time from:

  • 8.00am   to 9.00am

Align trading hours with District Plan’s Centre Zones by introducing a maximum closing time of:

  • 1.00am   for all licence holders located within those zones.

Additional On-Licence Discretionary Conditions

Introduce discretionary conditions that should generally be imposed unless there is a good reason not to.

These include requirements relating to:

  • Crime   Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles.
  • Security   and safety measures.
  • Incident   registers.
  • Staff   training records.

Club Management Requirements

Introduce a discretionary condition requiring clubs to have a holder of a manager's certificate present during busy periods unless there is a good reason not to

The details of all proposed changes are in the Statement of Proposal

Have you say

The Council invites public submissions on the Draft Local Alcohol Policy and the options set out in the Statement of Proposal.

When you consider your submission, you may want to comment on any aspect of the proposal, including:

  • Sensitive facility provisions.
  • Off-licence location restrictions.
  • Trading hours.
  • Advertising restrictions.
  • Discretionary licence conditions.
  • Club management requirements.
  • Or any other matter relating to the proposed LAP.

Following the consultation period, submitters will have the opportunity to present their views at a hearing before Council considers the final policy.

Where to from here?

  • The public submission period is from 25 August until 5pm, 25 September 2026.
  • Hearings will be held in October. During hearings, you can verbally present your position to the Councillors.
  • The Council considers submissions and decides on any changes to the LAP.
  • The Council may then adopt the reviewed LAP.

Consultation documents

Consultation details

Closing date 25/09/2026
Contact person Senior Policy Analyst, Corporate Policy
Public feedback

Still didn't find what you were looking for?