RMA replacement: Chris Bishop set to deliver New Zealand’s biggest ever tax cut

Government unveils major overhaul of the RMA

What the changes could mean for housing, growth and everyday New Zealanders

The Government has released its long awaited replacement for the Resource Management Act, signalling what officials say is the most significant shift in planning and environmental law in decades.

The announcement followed a Beehive lock up where about one hundred journalists and analysts spent the day working through early material on the reforms, including the new Planning Bill and Environment Bill which total nearly eight hundred pages.

Planning law is always detailed and technical, so it will take time to understand the full implications. However, the information provided so far, which includes a forty page overview, eleven fact sheets and several ministerial statements, gives a clear early picture.

For many New Zealanders, the RMA has long been viewed as a handbrake on housing affordability and infrastructure development. Ministers Chris Bishop and Simon Court say the new system is designed to remove unnecessary barriers, reduce duplication and provide clearer direction across regions.

A stronger national direction

The reforms propose a more directive planning structure with central government setting consistent national rules and standards. Local communities would then apply these to their wider areas. Officials say this funnel approach tightens focus at each stage of the process, reducing debate, speeding up decisions and giving property owners greater certainty.

Key changes at a glance

The Government has highlighted several core features of the new system. These include

Fewer effects managed
A range of effects that currently require assessment will be removed from scope. These include retail distribution impacts, internal site matters, visual amenity, competition issues and the financial viability of a project.

Fewer consents required
Low impact activities will no longer need resource consent and activity categories will be simplified.

More proportionate conditions
Any conditions placed on consents must be both necessary and proportionate.

Fewer plans
More than one hundred existing district and regional plans will be consolidated into seventeen regional combined plans. These plans will integrate spatial planning, land use rules and natural environment priorities in one place.

Thirty year spatial plans
Each region will develop long term spatial plans identifying growth areas, key infrastructure corridors and areas that require protection.

Faster plan making
The current six to seven year average plan making timeframe would reduce to around two years.

Standardised zones
The range of more than one thousand bespoke zones used around the country will be replaced with a consistent national set.

National standards
A comprehensive suite of national standards will guide common activities and reduce the need for individual consents.

Regulatory relief
When councils impose major restrictions such as significant natural areas or heritage protections, they must provide practical relief mechanisms.

Clearer consultation requirements
There will be clearer guidance on who must be consulted and at what stage of the planning process including iwi.

Faster conflict resolution
A new Planning Tribunal will handle straightforward disputes more quickly and at lower cost.

Clear environmental limits
Environmental limits will support community decision making and reduce unnecessary application work.

Consistent enforcement
National oversight will ensure enforcement is fair and consistent across the country.

What happens next

The bills will go through the Select Committee process in the first half of next year where further refinement is expected. Ministers have signalled a commitment to ensuring that property rights, housing supply and infrastructure development sit at the heart of the new system.

For residents interested in understanding the proposals in more detail, the Government has released a useful overview document that outlines the reforms and the rationale behind them.   https://environment.govt.nz/assets/publications/RM-reform/Our-future-resource-management-system-overview.pdf

I will continue to follow this closely in my role as your Howick Ward Councillor and will keep our community updated as the process progresses.