Environment & Planning

In keeping with its promise to introduce further changes to the resource management system before the end of 2024, the Government has introduced the Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Bill (Bill).  The Bill proposes to make changes to the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) to advance key Government policies as part of …

Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Bill Read More »

Another amendment Act, in a long line of RMA amendment Acts, came into force on 24 October 2024.  The Resource Management (Freshwater and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2024 (Act) makes the following key changes to the RMA: Freshwater The “hierarchy of obligations” in clauses 1.3(5) and 2.1 of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management …

Another RMA amendment: freshwater and other matters Read More »

On Friday 18 October 2024, the Environment Committee reported back on the Fast-track Approvals Bill which was introduced on 7 March 2024. We take a look at what’s changed, what stays the same, and the road ahead. What’s changed? The Environment Committee has recommended the following key changes. The purpose of the Bill has been …

Fast-track Approvals Bill: Select Committee report back Read More »

Last week, the Government announced that two new laws are to be developed to replace the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA), with the enjoyment of property rights as their guiding principle. Replacement of the RMA is part of the final phase (phase three) of the Government’s reform of our resource management system. The Government’s intention …

Phase three of the Resource Management reforms Read More »

The Government has announced its intention to make several changes to the Fast-track Approvals Bill, which is currently with the Environment Select Committee for consideration. Cabinet has recommended the following five changes are made, and the Committee will decide whether or not to accept them: The final decision on the granting of fast-track projects now …

Changes signalled to the Fast-track Approvals Bill Read More »

What is the Going for Housing Growth policy? Today, the Minister for Housing, Hon Christopher Bishop, has announced new housing growth targets for Aotearoa’s cities and its plan to make it easier for new housing to go “up and out” to increase housing supply. The Going for Housing Growth policy (GHG) aspires to address the …

Pushing residential development “up and out”: the Government’s ‘Going for Housing Growth policy’ Read More »

The fast-track consenting regime proposed by the National/ACT/NZ First coalition government was introduced to Parliament on 7 March 2024. The most awaited aspect of the Fast-track Approvals Bill – the list of projects to be fast-tracked – is blank at this stage. A Fast-track Advisory Group of experts is to be established in the coming …

Fast-track Approvals Bill – the third fast-track consenting regime Read More »