Source: New Zealand Government
The Government is taking steps to ensure a smooth and fair transition to New Zealand’s new planning and environmental management system, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Under-Secretary Simon Court say.
Mr Bishop says the transition arrangements will include additional legislation to extend existing consents which will be passed under urgency in the coming days. This will give certainty to consent holders, councils and communities while the outdated Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) is replaced.
“For more than 30 years the RMA has held New Zealand back. It has frustrated farmers and agribusinesses, slowed down housing, delayed infrastructure and added huge cost and complexity for councils, businesses and communities,” Mr Bishop says.
“Our new planning system will cut red tape, unlock growth and improve environmental outcomes. These transitional arrangements make sure people are not forced to navigate unnecessary costs or uncertainty as we move from the old system to the new one.”
The Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill, which together will replace the RMA, will smooth the transition by ensuring that:
Existing consent expiry dates will be extended to two years after the end of the transition period for the new system. Based on current expectations, this means most consents will be extended to around 2031.
New consent applications can still be made during the transition period and will follow a transitional RMA process which includes limits on the test for public notification and the scope of effects that can be considered. It will also include the introduction of some core national standards to provide consent-free activity pathways and procedural principles, such as proportionality, that will have immediate effect.”
There are also thousands of consents which are likely to expire next year, in addition to many operations under now-expired consents where replacement applications are still pending.
“We don’t think it is fair to force these people into costly replacement processes when the Government has already decided that consents expiring after the legislation passes will be extended,” Mr Bishop says.
“That is why we are also introducing urgent legislation to extend affected consents to 31 December 2027, avoiding unnecessary stress, uncertainty and expense.”
Mr Court says this temporary extension will allow people to carry on with confidence while the full replacement system is implemented.
“Rolling over expiring consents into the transition puts these all consents on an even keel, allowing the proposed extension of all consents until after the end of the transition period to go through the fulsome Select Committee process for the main Bills.
“We’re effectively doing to consents what we’ve already done with plans through the plan stop – relieving everyone of the burden of going through the motions with a major overhaul looming.
“However, it retains the choice for applicants to pursue or continue consent applications under the RMA and the transitional provisions as they see fit. We expect many will take the opportunity under the smoother transitional process to gain longer-term certainty of operation through new consents.
“These changes avoid wasted time, money, and effort that is much better spent on gearing up for the new, modern planning system that will deliver growth, housing and environmental improvement.”
Notes to editors
The Resource Management (Duration of Consents) Amendment Bill will be introduced to Parliament this afternoon. It will be passed under urgency this week.
The extensions will not apply:
where it would create consent durations longer than 35 years for water-related consents, or
to wastewater network consents, which remain subject to their specific requirements under the recent wastewater standards.
More information about the new planning system can be found here: https://environment.govt.nz/news/government-unveils-major-overhaul-of-new-zealands-planning-system
