Two key pieces of legislation that will introduce a new resource management system for Aotearoa New Zealand are now officially in place.
The Governor-General has given Royal Assent to the Spatial Planning Act 2023 (SPA) and the Natural and Built Environment Act 2023 (NBA).
A small number of changes come into force today. Much of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) will stay in place as the new system is phased in across regions over the coming years.
The SPA brings in a new requirement for long-term regional spatial planning and the NBA is the main replacement for the RMA. A third piece of legislation, the Climate Adaptation Bill, will be introduced to Parliament later.
When fully in place, the new resource management system aims to protect and restore the environment and enable the development needed for a growing population. It will also see more Māori involvement in local planning and decision making, and aims to provide more certainty and efficiency in planning and consenting.