Infrastructure New Zealand has welcomed the release of consultation on the first National Policy Statement (NPS) for Infrastructure and the strengthening of guidance for local government as to how they can better integrate infrastructure into consenting and planning processes.
Infrastructure New Zealand Chief Executive, Nick Leggett says the start of consultation on the NPS means Councils have finally been given the message that they need to prioritise infrastructure in all their planning and decision-making.
“A NPS for Infrastructure will support more coordinated decision-making across our different levels of government and help ensure that infrastructure development is more effectively considered in council planning,” Mr Leggett said.
“It will provide essential direction for integrating infrastructure considerations into land use planning and environmental management, which is critical to making sure that development at a local level aligns with our objectives as a country.
“This provides a level of nationwide consistency for those looking to invest and help develop our future nation-building infrastructure. It will then be up to central and local government to work together to implement these new national rules which support priorities that include delivering our growing infrastructure pipeline and the much-anticipated regional deals.”
Infrastructure New Zealand particularly welcomed the changes, which are set to make consenting for new or expanding existing quarries easier and faster.
“Quarried aggregates are essential components in our roads and many other infrastructure constructions,” says Mr Leggett.
“The current delays and limited local access to these materials are adding significant costs to our communities.”
The new NPS for Natural Hazards is also a much-needed addition to New Zealand’s consenting and planning system, he said.
“Extreme weather events and other climate-related natural hazards are increasing in intensity and frequency, and along with Aotearoa’s significant seismic risks, pose a major threat to the infrastructure we rely on.”
“New Zealand is ranked by Lloyd’s of London as second only to Bangladesh in terms of natural disaster-related economic losses, and yet our response in terms of consenting and development planning has been left almost entirely to councils and is therefore piecemeal and inconsistent.”
“How different local government entities identify and manage risks associated with climate change, weather events and seismic activity can make a major difference to infrastructure planning and delivery. This NPS is therefore an important step towards standardising how those risks are identified and assessed, and providing a more predictable framework for future infrastructure development.”
