On 16 August, the Natural and Built Environment Bill and Spatial Planning Bill passed their third and final readings in Parliament. The two bills replace the Resource Management Act 1991.

The bills include new features of mandatory, integrated national direction in the form of a National Planning Framework, a clearer and more directive statutory framework for area-based protections like significant biodiversity areas, and targets for improvement. There will be a transitional period over a number of years.

Regional planning committees and councils have important roles in preparing strategies and plans. Early case law will be critical, so advocacy needs to be strengthened as a key element of implementing the new system.

CTA’s submission on the Natural and Built Environment Bill can be found here.