Future implementation of the new planning system

Initial national standards

The Planning Act and the Natural Environment Act include the ability to create new national standards that can be applied under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) as initial national standards (INS). These will carry over into the new planning system.

This means some new planning system settings, based on national policy direction, can be introduced before councils complete their plans under the new system.

We are currently scoping the INS and will develop them in stages. We expect to consult on them from 2027, after national policy direction is in place. Once they take effect, they must be considered in RMA consent processes and may override inconsistent rules in existing RMA plans.

Regional spatial plans

Once local authorities have decided on a regional spatial plan, councils must consider whether resource consent decisions are consistent with it.

Before they make decisions on the regional spatial plan, councils must consider any relevant future development strategy.

See information on regional spatial plans.

Planning Tribunal

A Planning Tribunal will be established in 2027 to provide faster, more accessible and streamlined resolution of administrative decisions relating to resource consents and designations. This includes:

requests for further information
notification decisions
interpreting consent conditions
striking out consent conditions that are deemed to be out of scope of the system.

The Planning Tribunal will be part of the Environment Court. It will help the planning system run more efficiently by reducing the number of matters that need to go to court. Decisions made before the tribunal is established will continue to follow the current objection and appeal processes.

Transitional consenting implementation training and events

Find out about training and events to support implementation.

Transitional consenting guidance

Find guidance on how consenting will transition to the new system.