09 Oct 2026
2 weeks ago
278 views
An investigation has been initiated to assess whether Christchurch planning rules hinder new housing, economic growth, and redevelopment of the former Apollo Projects Stadium site. This follows a request from Christchurch City Council Mayor Phil Mauger to amend the District Plan for the 4.93-hectare site now that the new stadium, Te Kaha, is operational. The investigation, using powers under the Resource Management Act, aims to ensure planning rules support city growth by removing provisions that negatively impact development and employment.
02 Oct 2026
3 weeks ago
380 views
Targeted amendments to New Plymouth’s District Plan will simplify building and development processes by removing unnecessary consenting requirements and planning barriers, thereby supporting economic growth and reducing costs. Following an investigation under the Resource Management Act 1991, which included public consultation and feedback, the government identified provisions negatively impacting development and decided to proceed with practical changes to various planning controls. These changes aim to improve planning system efficiency, maintain environmental safeguards, and foster investment and employment, with regulations currently being drafted for Cabinet approval.
01 Oct 2026
3 weeks ago
410 views
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop announced changes to Wellington’s district plan to remove heritage listings from the Karori Tunnel, Kelburn Viaduct, and Miramar oil tank, while modifying height limits in the Courtenay Place Heritage Area to enable increased development. These changes aim to support investment, housing, and job creation, potentially allowing 550 additional apartments, generating $200 million, and creating around 1,400 jobs through construction and commercial activities. The former General Headquarters Building’s heritage listing will remain, and the reforms follow extensive investigation, consultation, and consideration of economic and heritage impacts.
30 Sep 2026
3 weeks ago
293 views
New Zealand's Planning Act and Natural Environment Act have received Royal assent, replacing the Resource Management Act 1991 and establishing a new planning system aimed at simplifying development, enhancing environmental management, and providing greater certainty for communities and investors. The new system emphasizes upfront decision-making through national policy direction, consistent standards, and long-term regional spatial planning to guide growth, protection, and infrastructure over the next 30 years. Implementation will involve collaboration with councils, iwi, and stakeholders, supported by digital tools and a dedicated website, with key milestones including finalizing policy direction by 2027 and full system operation by 2030.
25 Aug 2026
2 months ago
557 views
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Parliamentary Under-Secretary Simon Court have launched an illustrative National Policy Direction (NPD) for public feedback, outlining draft government directives on housing, infrastructure, primary production, resources, and public values to guide New Zealand’s new planning system. The NPD aims to provide clearer, more consistent national priorities and resolve key conflicts to help councils and stakeholders make informed planning decisions, reducing reliance on courts and overlapping regulations. This consultation is a crucial step to ensure the new planning system is practical, effective, and aligned with national priorities, with feedback due by October 16 and further standards to be consulted on in 2027.
19 Aug 2026
2 months ago
617 views
The Government is taking targeted action to provide certainty for farmers in Waikato and Manawatū-Whanganui by preventing restrictive elements of Plan Change 1 (PC1) and Plan Change 2 (PC2) from applying during the transition to a new planning system, reducing duplication and regulatory burden. While ongoing environmental improvements remain required, prescribed nitrogen discharge reductions under PC2 will no longer apply, and the new natural environment plan will specifically consider PC1 to respect prior work. These changes aim to avoid economic disruption and uncertainty for farmers, with amendments to be progressed through upcoming legislation later this month.
19 Aug 2026
2 months ago
574 views
The Government is making targeted amendments to the Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill to create a faster, clearer, and more practical planning system that supports food and fibre production while protecting the environment. Key changes include simplifying environmental limits, extending the definition of existing use to 12 months for seasonal activities, and amending long-lived infrastructure permits to provide greater investment certainty. Additionally, the amendments strengthen biodiversity protections, allow councils to manage waterbody effects more flexibly, and aim to reduce complexity while maintaining environmental improvement.
14 Aug 2026
2 months ago
664 views
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has released an investigation report and launched a public consultation on specific provisions in the Hamilton City Operative District Plan that may unnecessarily increase development costs and complexity, particularly affecting social and affordable housing. The review focuses on rules related to electric vehicle charging, cycle parking, deep soil planting, urban tree canopy, and building design controls, aiming to ensure planning regulations support economic growth and housing supply. Consultation runs from 24 August to 7 September 2026, after which officials will analyze submissions and advise the Government on potential regulatory changes under the Resource Management Act.
11 Aug 2026
2 months ago
609 views
Eighteen proposals have been submitted to the Government under the Head Start local government reform initiative, aimed at simplifying and streamlining local councils in response to community needs and past reform challenges. The proposals will be assessed by officials and reviewed by Cabinet in September to decide which proceed to a detailed design phase, with final implementation decisions expected before the 2028 local government elections. The Government will also address areas not progressing through Head Start by considering feedback and lessons learned, and will provide further updates after Cabinet's review.
04 Jun 2026
4 months ago
923 views
The New Zealand Government has introduced National Environmental Standards for Papakāinga (NES-P) to simplify and standardize rules across councils, enabling up to 10 homes to be built on ancestral Māori land while protecting the environment and residents' health. These standards address previous planning barriers, support collective use of Māori land for intergenerational living, and form part of broader reforms under the Resource Management Act to facilitate housing growth and infrastructure development. The NES-P will take effect on 2 July, incorporating feedback from consultations and clarifying provisions related to land use, ancillary activities, setbacks, and protections for cultural and environmental values.
28 May 2026
4 months ago
1114 views
The New Zealand Government is investing $294 million over four years in Budget 2026 to implement a new digital planning and environmental management system that replaces the Resource Management Act, aiming to streamline planning processes and provide clearer, nationally consistent information. This reform will enhance property rights, reduce delays and costs in development, and improve resilience to natural hazards by supporting tools like the New Zealand Flood Map, which offers detailed flood risk data. The investment seeks to unify planning systems across councils, boost economic growth, and deliver long-term benefits by creating accessible, reliable digital infrastructure for planning, consenting, and monitoring.
27 May 2026
5 months ago
927 views
The Government has passed legislation to create the new Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT), consolidating several agencies including the Ministry for the Environment, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, and Ministry of Transport. The Environment (Disestablishment of the Ministry for the Environment) Amendment Bill enables this integration by transferring statutory environmental functions to MCERT’s chief executive, ensuring seamless continuation of environmental responsibilities. This restructuring aims to promote coordinated decision-making that balances environmental protection with economic growth across urban development and infrastructure sectors.
06 May 2026
5 months ago
984 views
The Government has updated the National Environmental Standards for Marine Aquaculture to simplify regulations, reduce costs, and support innovation while maintaining environmental protection. These changes aim to ease consenting processes, enable research and trials, and provide clearer national direction, contributing to the sector’s growth toward a $3 billion annual revenue goal. The updates, effective from June 4, are part of broader reforms to improve resource management and support sustainable economic development in New Zealand.
09 Apr 2026
6 months ago
1277 views
The New Zealand Government has amended the National Environmental Standards for Electricity Transmission Activities (NES-ETA) to introduce nationally consistent permitted activity standards for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, removing confusing local consenting barriers and making it easier to build chargers. These changes, effective from 7 May 2026, cover all types of EV chargers and include conditions to manage environmental and community effects, while complementing a $52.7 million investment to expand the public charging network from 1,800 to an expected 4,550 points. This reform aims to accelerate EV adoption by simplifying infrastructure development, supporting the Government’s goal of 10,000 chargers by 2030, and aligning with broader resource management and planning system improvements.
31 Mar 2026
6 months ago
1318 views
The Government will introduce legislation to amend the Resource Management Act, reducing Auckland Council’s Plan Change 120 minimum housing capacity from 2 million to 1.4 million homes while still supporting significant growth through upzoning and infrastructure-aligned development. The legislation also resolves transitional issues for developers affected by previous rule changes and aims to enable further housing opportunities, particularly around transit corridors and the City Rail Link. Auckland Council will revise the plan based on guiding principles, and the updated process will allow public input before final decisions are made.