The Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill will be introduced to Parliament today, with the Government aiming to pass them into law in 2026.
RMA Reform Minister, Chris Bishop says New Zealand’s new planning system will be easier for local government to use and navigate and deliver better value for ratepayers.
The Bills will require regional councils to support development of both a regional spatial plan and a natural environment plan. If the local government reforms proceed as proposed, combined territories boards will be the decision-making body for these new planning instruments.
Each territorial authority will also develop a land-use plan. These plans will be brought together into a single regional plan, which the combined territories board will review for coherence and consistency, said Minister Bishop.
“Our new planning system is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to cast off the shackles imposed by the broken Resource Management Act, and set New Zealand on a path to economic growth that lifts our living standards and protects the environment,” he said.
Local Government Minister, Simon Watts said the new planning system will mean fewer consents, faster decisions and a strong focus on the issues that genuinely matter for communities and the environment.
“Our reforms will strip out duplication in the system, standardise processes, and drive down complexity and compliance costs.”
He said regional councils will have a significantly reduced role in the new planning system because there will be stronger national direction, more standardisation and more permitted activities.
“This replaces complexity with clarity, drives down costs and removes uncertainty for everyone,” he said.
“There are currently more than 100 policy statements and plans across 78 local authorities, which are often confusing and duplicative. Under the new planning system, we are getting rid of Regional Policy Statements entirely. There will be only 17 regional combined plans, and they’ll take two years to develop, not seven.”
Simplifying local government is essential to unlocking the benefits of the new system, said Minister Watts.
“There is a clear alignment between the objectives of both reform programmes. This is our opportunity to build a modern planning system that lifts living standards and protects the environment, while also delivering a local government sector that is simpler, more efficient and better value for ratepayers.”
“The timing of local government reform is expected to line up with the rollout of the new planning system, with the proposed combined territories boards leading the charge.”
The Minister said national policy direction under the new system will be finalised within nine months of the Bills becoming law. Mandatory national standards will be delivered in stages and aligned with council plan-making needs.
New Zealanders will be invited to have their say on the legislation via the Select Committee process.
The Government has also announced a rapid review of regional council functions before the new boards are established to determine whether any functions should be centralised or discontinued.
The review will consider whether some regional council compliance and enforcement roles should be centralised. This reflects the recommendation of the Expert Advisory Group on Resource Management Reform, which found that stronger, more consistent compliance and enforcement is critical to the success of the new system.
The consultation on the Government’s local government reform proposals are open now until 20 February 2026 via the Department for Internal Affairs website.
More information about the new planning system can be found here: https://environment.govt.nz/news/government-unveils-major-overhaul-of-new-zealands-planning-system.
