The government will stop councils progressing plans soon to be replaced by new laws
Councils must withdraw any plan changes not yet progressed to hearing stage
Exceptions include natural hazard planning and Treaty settlements already underway
The government has announced it will halt mandatory council planning work under the current Resource Management Act (RMA), calling it an unnecessary burden with major law changes on the way.
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop made the announcement via a pre-recorded video, calling existing council planning activity "pricey, pointless" in light of the upcoming replacement of the RMA by 2027. Speaking at the Local Government New Zealand conference in Christchurch, Bishop described the move as a "kind intervention" aimed at freeing up council resources.
“There is little point in progressing long and costly hearings on a plan change that will be incompatible with the new planning system, or probably won't even be complete by the time the new system is switched on,” he said.
As part of the pause, councils will no longer be required to review their plans every ten years. New plan changes will not be allowed unless they meet specific exemptions, such as for managing natural hazards or fulfilling Treaty settlement obligations. Any proposed plan changes that haven’t yet reached the hearing stage must be withdrawn within 90 days once the new law takes effect.
Bishop stressed that the decision was made after consultation with an Expert Advisory Group and is intended to help councils focus on preparing for the new system.
“The Government’s intention is that stopping plan requirements for councils will enable them to focus on critical work to prepare to transition to the new system,” he said.
The government is currently drafting two new Acts to replace the RMA – one for land use planning and another for the natural environment. Bishop said the goal is to create a system that delivers infrastructure more easily while continuing to protect the environment.
He also touched on wider concerns about council performance, urging local authorities to be more efficient.
“We are getting our house in order. It’s time you sorted yours out,” he told council representatives. “Not everything you do has to be an architectural masterpiece. The only awards your projects should be winning are for cost efficiency and effectiveness.”
Bishop also confirmed that the government is looking at the future of regional councils, many of which may lose significant responsibilities under the new regime.
The plan changes will be stopped through an Amendment Paper to the Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Bill, expected to become law next month. Automatic exemptions will apply to some planning processes, including those using the Streamlined Planning Process and private plan changes. Councils can also apply for exemptions through the Minister for the Environment.
The government is also consulting on national direction proposals that councils will not need to implement through changes to their current plans.