Government to stop Council plan changes

The Government will stop councils working on plan changes in advance of the new planning system coming into force.

RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop says “The existing RMA mandates that councils review their plans and policy statements every ten years. Much of this planning work won’t be completed or implemented by the time the new system takes effect in 2027.

“We’ve already made a series of quick and targeted amendments to provide relief to our primary sector and passed the Fast-track Approvals Act to speed up the consenting process for projects with regional or nationally significant benefits.

“We’ve also opened consultation on sweeping changes to the regulations that sit under the RMA, and next month our second RMA Amendment Bill is expected to pass into law which will make important changes in the short-term to make it quicker and simpler to consent renewable energy, boost housing supply, and reduce red tape for the primary sector.”