New planning laws are now in place. The Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions & Transport is publishing guidance, tools and updates on this website as the new planning system is introduced in stages.
Find out what the changes could mean for Māori, councils, homeowners, businesses, communities and the natural environment.
The new planning system could affect people and organisations in different ways:
Iwi, hapū and Māori will continue to have important roles in planning processes, the protection of sites of significance and the development of Māori land. Existing Treaty settlement redress will be upheld.
Councils will have new planning and implementation responsibilities, including preparing new regional combined plans and supporting the transition to the new system.
Homeowners will be able to do more everyday projects on their property without a resource consent (although they may still need a building consent). Clearer and more consistent rules should also make it easier to understand what they can and cannot do.
Communities will have a clearer picture of how their area is expected to grow and change, including where housing and infrastructure are planned, and how natural hazards are being managed.
The natural environment will be managed through environmental limits, national instruments and natural environment plans, which guide how natural resources are used, protected and managed.
Developers and infrastructureproviders will have clearer and more consistent planning rules, and greater certainty about where development and infrastructure are expected.
Farmers, growers, forestry owners and aquaculture operators will have clearer and more consistent rules for managing their impact on natural resources, including environmental limits, farm plans, and planning rules.
Central government will set national direction and standards, participate in spatial planning, support nationally consistent data and digital tools, and monitor how the system is performing.