Media Release

26 November 2015

Property Council welcomes Government’s timely RMA overhaul

Property Council supports the Government’s overhaul of the Resource Management Act announced today, calling for it to be supported by all political parties across the spectrum.

The Bill addresses festering problems with the RMA which have been hampering efforts to increase housing, create jobs and build prosperous cities due to crippling bureaucracy, overtly complex and unresponsive regulatory processes and unrealistic rules.

Chief executive Connal Townsend says Property Council has been a vocal and veteran advocate of a more responsive planning system, simplified consenting and better alignment with other laws for many years.

“We are extremely pleased with the Resource Management Amendment Act and believe it is one of, if not the most, significant development on addressing the RMA’s failings in the last 20 years.”

“We strongly support national templates to streamline and rationalise plan making processes. This will undoubtedly improve consistency in other areas, such as clarifying requirements which will enable greater compliance and save time and money.”

Property Council believes the Bill’s optional streamlined planning and consent provisions have a proven track record in the Special Housing Areas Act. Therefore, it is highly relevant extended to extend these principles to commercial and infrastructure developments to help cities grow.

“These are exactly the sorts of measures we have been calling for to directly address Auckland’s housing crisis and regional growth. Issues such as improved resource management have been stalled by political paralysis at great cost to communities and the country.

“It is pleasing to see a pragmatic approach by the Bill’s focus on improvements that make development more affordable, while ensuring the current high levels of environmental protection remain.

Property Council also welcomes the addition of special provisions for urban areas specifically requiring councils to plan and account for growth, as this recognises unique issues faced by cities have to manage sustainable growth.

“For the best possible national outcome, we ultimately need a broader review of our planning system that better aligns the Local Government Act and the Land Transform Management Act with the RMA; abolishing competition between them and adjoining them coherently where they currently fail.

“This is why we are glad to see the Bill clarify the relationship between the RMA and other acts, such as the Building Act. For too long the RMA has been used to override the Building Act for local political purposes, adding significant costs with no additional environmental protection.”

The highly politicised and divisive nature of the issue has led to many years of protracted and expensive legal wrangling and political footballing. Property Council calls on all political parties to debate the changes at the Select Committee as the most appropriate forum to engage in constructive debate.

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