Source: New Zealand Government
The Minister for RMA Reform, Minister of Agriculture, and Minister for the Environment have set clear expectations to all Regional and Unitary Councils to take a pragmatic approach when issuing consents, ahead of the transition to the new planning system.
“Ministers continue to receive concerning reports of councils across the country applying stringent, unnecessary, and burdensome requirements when issuing new consents, particularly for our farmers and growers,” Mr Bishop says.
“Our country relies on our rural producers. At a time of economic challenges, councils should be doing all they can to unlock economic growth, not stymie it.
“Farmers are not the enemy. Working on the land is not a ‘nice to have’ – it’s vital for our country’s success. Prior to the induction of our new planning system, councils need to recognise that they’ll need to be pragmatic and flexible to ensure our rural economy continues to operate.”
“The RMA gives local authorities power to exercise discretion over consent processes. This includes extending consenting timeframes and working with individual applicants to reach pragmatic solutions,” Mr McClay says.
“Later this year, a regime to transition consents into the new system will be released. Until then, we expect councils to use this discretion where appropriate. Farmers should not be punished for what amounts to bureaucratic process.”
“We know that the transition into a new planning system could create some bumps for those sectors whose livelihoods depend on their consents. The Government expects local authorities to smooth those bumps as much as possible,” Ms Simmonds says.
“Local Authorities need to recognise that the system is changing, and change their behaviour accordingly. The Government has committed to working alongside councils to support the implementation of, and alignment with, the future system.”
