National Environmental Standards for Telecommunication Facilities

The NESTF 2008 provided a national planning framework that allowed network operators to install some low-impact telecommunications infrastructure in road reserves without the need to apply for resource consent, provided they met specified conditions.

A review in 2013 of the NESTF 2008 by the Ministry for the Environment found that while it was largely meeting its objectives, it was becoming out of date in the rapidly developing telecommunications landscape.

To address the issues raised in the 2013 review, the NESTF 2008 was replaced. The NESTF 2016 widens the scope of the 2008 framework by providing national consistency for a greater range of low impact telecommunications infrastructure.

The NESTF 2016 provides national consistency in the rules surrounding the deployment of telecommunications infrastructure across New Zealand while ensuring the effects on the environment are minimised and managed appropriately.

The NESTF 2016 provides rules for the following activities:

• cabinets in the road reserve, outside the road reserve and on buildings
• antennas on existing poles in the road reserve
• antennas on new poles in the road reserve
• replacement, upgrading and co-location of existing poles and antennas outside road reserve (with different conditions in residential and non-residential areas)
• new poles and antennas in rural areas
• antennas on buildings (above a permitted height in residential areas)
• small-cell units on existing structures
• telecommunications lines (underground, on the ground and overhead).

The Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE), with support from the Ministry for the Environment and the NESTF technical advisory group, developed a users’ guide to help councils and the telecommunications industry understand and implement the NESTF.

The users’ guide (PDF, 3.1 MB)[MBIE website] was published in August 2018 following feedback on a draft users’ guide in 2017.

Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Telecommunication Facilities) Regulations 2016: Users’ guide 

Public notice – Access to material incorporated by reference

The Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Telecommunication Facilities) Regulations 2016 incorporate the following material by reference:

• AS/NZS 2772.2:2016 Radiofrequency fields – Part 2: Principles and methods of measurement and computation – 3 kHz to 300 GHz
• NZS 2772.1:1999 Radiofrequency fields – Maximum exposure levels – 3 kHz to 300 GHz.
• NZS 6801:2008 Acoustics – Measurement of environmental sound
• NZS 6802:2008 Acoustics – Environmental noise.

All the material incorporated by reference is available for inspection free of charge week days between 9.00am and 5.00pm at the Ministry for the Environment’s head office at 8 Willis Street, Wellington. 

To make an appointment to inspect the incorporated material contact the Ministry for the Environment:

Freephone: 0800 499 700

Phone: +64 4 439 7400

Fax: +64 4 439 7700

Email: info@mfe.govt.nz

Photocopying of incorporated material will not be permitted.

Purchase of Material

Material may be purchased directly from:

Standards New Zealand, Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,

15 Stout Street, Wellington 6011.

Freephone: 0800 782 632 (New Zealand)

Phone: +64 3 943 4259

Email: enquiries@standards.govt.nz

Copies of the regulations and related documents are available at National Environmental Standards for Telecommunication Facilities [New Zealand legislation website].

To find out more about the NESTF contact info@mfe.govt.nz