Environment Canterbury chair Deon Swiggs said regional councils have been calling for the Government ‘‘to act on the outdated resource management system’’ for years.
The Government announced its replacement to the Resource Management Act (RMA) on Tuesday, promising to make it easier to build homes, reduce red tape for farmers, and to protect the environment.
Swiggs said the council will take time to consider the proposed legislation and its likely impact on the region.
‘‘It’s good to see we are getting a simplified system,’’ Swiggs said.
‘‘Everyone has said the RMA is complicated and has had some unintended consequences.
‘‘However, there is a lot of detail which needs to be understood and there’s always trade-offs, so we need to work through those and understand them.’’
The reforms place an emphasis on property rights and require regional councils to develop regional plans, to incorporate district plans and other planning documents.
Swiggs said the changes would have implications for the Ngāi Tahu Settlement Act and the council’s partnerships with Papatipu Rūnanga.
‘‘We are disappointed there has been a definite move away from Treaty engagement,’’ Swiggs said.
‘‘We honour the treaty and the partnerships we have and we need to work with Ngāi Tahu to understand the impacts on them.’’
A transition period will be imposed to give resource consent holders, including farmers more certainty.
Resource consents which have expired or are about to expire will be extended to 2027, when the transition period will kick in, with consents being extended to 2031.
Freshwater farm plans will replace many of the consents farmers would otherwise require.
ECan has 26,000 resource consents, far more than any other regional council.
While the resource consent extensions will be automatic, Swiggs said there will be plenty of work for regional planners as the council navigates the changes, including developing the regional plan.
Further legislation, due to be introduced next year, will provide national environment bottom lines, with some regional variations possible.
If councils or communities choose to go above the bottom line, then compensation to landowners may be required.
Councils may be required to compensate landowners for significant restrictions that impact development, including significant natural areas (SNAs) and sites important to Māori.
The Government announced last month it would abolish the 11 elected regional councils, including ECan, replacing them combined territories boards comprising the region’s mayors.
Rates capping legislation has also been introduced, with a new cap of 2% to 4% being imposed from 2029, leaving councils to consider how they will fund the changes.
Swiggs said plans to simplify local government, rates caps and the new RMA Bills ‘‘won’t solve all the frustrations felt by the community’’.
‘‘Someone is always going to have to strike the hard balance between the economy and the environment.
‘‘It’s an important – but thankless – task.
‘‘We need to make sure we don’t lose sight of what really matters, and that we consider any unintended consequences these changes might have.’’
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop described the planned reforms as the biggest changes to local government since 1989.
“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.”
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
