Source: New Zealand Government
The Government is making targeted changes to the new planning system to create a more practical system for food and fibre production, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard and RMA Reform Under-Secretary Simon Court say.
“The Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill will replace the Resource Management Act with a faster, clearer and less costly planning system that better supports housing, infrastructure, primary production and economic growth, while protecting the natural environment,” Mr Bishop says.
“The changes will remove unnecessary complexity, better reflect real-world farming and horticultural practices, and provide greater certainty for investment and day-to-day operations.”
Mr Bishop says the changes include simplifying the Natural Environment Bill’s environmental limits framework by removing resource cap provisions and simplifying action plan provisions.
“These changes clarify our intent that action plans are the primary mechanism for managing resource use when a limit is at risk of being breached,” Mr Court says.
“This is about making the framework less prescriptive. It allows greater precision and flexibility through national instruments, without materially altering the intent or requirements of the environmental limits framework.”
“This will make requirements easier to apply on the ground for farmers and growers, while not reducing core environmental protections,” Mr McClay says.
The Government will also expand what counts as an existing use to better account for seasonal activities. Existing uses will now include lawfully established activities carried out in the past 12 months, up from 6 months.
“Farmers and growers operate in the real world, where activities are often seasonal and do not always fit neatly into a six-month window,” Mr McClay says.
“Extending the existing use period to 12 months better reflects how food and fibre production works, including activities such as crop rotation.”
The definition of long-lived infrastructure will also be amended to include water storage and distribution, meaning a minimum 35-year duration will apply to permits for water infrastructure. This will apply to building the relevant infrastructure, not the taking of water.
“Water storage and distribution infrastructure is critical for productive and resilient rural communities,” Mr McClay says.
“Longer consent durations will provide greater certainty for investment in the infrastructure farmers and growers rely on.”
The Amendment Papers also include changes to sections 70 and 107 of the Resource Management Act. These changes will enable councils to permit, or grant consent for, activities in the transition period where adverse effects are already occurring in a waterbody, as long as the permitted activity or consent includes requirements to reduce those effects over time.
“This will allow councils to recognise situations where improvement is already being built into the rules or consent conditions,” Mr Hoggard says.
“Where effects are already occurring, the law should support activity continuing where there are clear requirements to reduce those effects over time.”
Mr Hoggard says the package responds to concerns from farmers and growers about how the new planning system will work on the ground.
“Food and fibre producers need rules that are clear, proportionate and practical. These changes will help reduce unnecessary complexity while maintaining a focus on environmental improvement.”
The Amendment Papers also include changes to strengthen environmental protections in the Bills, such as amending the indigenous biodiversity goal in the Natural Environment Bill, replacing “no net loss in indigenous biodiversity” with “protect significant indigenous biodiversity”.
“We’ve heard feedback about the workability of the ‘no net loss’ approach and we’re making this change to ensure biodiversity protections are focused where they are needed most.”
Mr Bishop says the changes make the Bills more workable without changing their overall direction.
“The new planning system is designed to be faster, clearer and more enabling, while protecting the natural environment.
“These targeted changes will help ensure the system works in practice for farmers, growers and other New Zealanders who rely on natural resources.”
The Amendment Papers will be considered during the Committee of the Whole House stage.
The Government is also announcing related changes to make freshwater farm plans more proportionate and cost-effective, and targeted action on Plan Changes 1 and 2 to provide respective certainty for farmers and growers in the Waikato and Manawatū-Whanganui while the new planning system is put in place.
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/08/19/a-more-practical-planning-system-for-food-and-fibre-production/