Regional Water and Land Plan launch
For immediate release: 27 November 2008

Environment Bay of Plenty’s Regional Water and Land Plan, which for the first time combines the management of the region’s land and water into one document, becomes operative on Monday 1 December 2008.

The Regional Water and Land Plan covers what people can and cannot do in relation to land use, rivers and streams, lakes, wetlands, groundwater and geothermal resources (excluding those covered by the Rotorua Geothermal Regional Plan). The new plan supersedes the current Regional Land Management Plan and the Transitional Regional Plan.

“The Regional Water and Land Plan is essentially the main regional planning document, and around 75 percent of consents that are issued will be done so under this plan,” Environment Bay of Plenty Chief Executive Bill Bayfield said.

“Integrating the management of water and land resources into the one plan is a strategic move towards having fewer regional plans, and making them more user-friendly,” Mr Bayfield said.

The Regional Water and Land Plan includes flow diagrams to help with rule interpretation. It also has revised and improved numbering of all issues, objectives, policies, methods and rules, so that it is easier to read.

Guidelines are also being developed alongside the plan to help people, in particular farmers, orchardists and foresters, work out what activities are covered by the plan and what consents may be required.

“The Regional Water and Land Plan is the culmination of a lot of hard work and commitment from a number of people throughout the Bay of Plenty, Environment Bay of Plenty staff and Councillors, both past and present, over several years,” Mr Bayfield said.

“A draft Regional Water and Land Plan was developed in 2002 and was then made available for public review. After receiving 180 submissions and holding hearings, there were a number of appeals to the Environment Court. This was a lengthy process, with the last of the appeals being resolved in April this year.”

For more information please visit www.envbop.govt.nz Hard copies of the Regional Water and Land Plan cost $55. Please ring 0800 ENV BOP (0800 368 267).

ENDS

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