Changes to national direction under the Resource Management Act (RMA) and the first ever National Policy Statement (NPS) for Infrastructure are being welcomed as consultation opens
Unsplash – Team Kiesel
The Government is releasing three discussion documents proposing amendments to 12 different instruments and the introduction of four new instruments, centred on three packages: infrastructure and development, the primary sector and freshwater.
Infrastructure New Zealand is welcoming 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.
“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,” Chief Executive Nick Leggett says.
“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.”
He says the new NPS for Natural Hazards is a much-needed addition to New Zealand’s consenting and planning system.
“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.”
Infrastructure New Zealand also welcomes changes which will make consenting for new or expanding existing quarries easier and faster, Leggett says.
“Quarried aggregates are essential components in our roads and many other infrastructure constructions. The current delays and limited local access to these materials are adding significant costs to our communities.”
In agreement is Wayne Scott, Chief Executive of the Aggregate and Quarry Association of New Zealand.
“We have been saying to this and the previous Government that changes were needed to existing National Policy Statements on Highly Productive Land, Freshwater Management and Indigenous Biodiversity.
“While the changes were mostly minor, some existing wording was leading to bizarre outcomes such as quarries being told it could extract aggregate but not remove any of the overburden above it.”
Scott says what the Government is now proposing will also allow for net positive environment outcomes and deserves to be welcomed.
“Currently, quarries sometimes seek consent applications such as where a piece of bush is needed for an extension but they have to be declined even when offering to plant several times the amount of affected land.”
He says his sector has not sought to reduce environmental outcomes.
“Through the Fast-track Approvals legislation and these amendments, we have stressed we are after certainty and speed not environmental degradation.
“Our industry has worked for years to improve our environmental credentials and relations with our communities. We see these latest changes as helping both the environment and those communities who want the resources provided for their homes and roads.”
