Council approves changes to proposed Regional Policy Statement

Greater Wellington Regional Councillors have approved changes to the proposed new Regional Policy Statement (RPS) – the highest level planning tool in the region.

The changes in the RPS were recommended by a council committee that heard submissions on the original proposed plan at the end of last year.

Chair Fran Wilde said that, amongst the recommended changes, the committee responded to concerns that the provisions regarding “significant amenity landscapes” might hinder everyday farming operations in the region. The changes clarified that it was not intended to prevent any change, but, rather, to ensure that change was managed appropriately in relation to any specific amenity values identified in those landscapes.

In keeping with the Wellington Regional Strategy, other changes were also made to provisions around regional form, to maintain and enhance the vibrancy of regionally significant centres and also distinguish between sub-regional and suburban centres. Fran Wilde said that this was intended to support the ability of local authorities to identify and promote higher density and mixed use development in key centres. .

“Changes have also been made to give more protection to relatively unmodified areas of high natural character in the coastal environment and to provide communities with guidance on managing the effects of activities on natural character,” Ms Wilde said.

Under the Resource Management Act, the RPS is required to identify regionally significant issues around the management of natural and physical resources and to set out what needs to be achieved (objectives) and the way in which the objectives will be achieved (policies and methods).

“It sets out how we’ll manage our land, air, water, soil, minerals, energy and ecosystems in a way that provides for the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,” Fran Wilde said.

The Regional Council is required to review the RPS every ten years. The currently operative RPS was agreed in 1995 and the new version has resulted from a work programme that began with a draft in 2008, involving a process of significant input from city and district councils and other agencies and individuals in the Wellington region.

“The process has been lengthy, but we make no apology for this” said Fran Wilde. “Regional and district council plans must give effect to the Regional Policy Statement, so the contents of this document are vitally important to all of us who live here”.

Any submitter has 30 days to appeal a decision on their submission to the Environment Court. If no appeals are lodged, the Regional Policy Statement will be made operative at a date to be notified by the Council.

“Now that we’ve completed the Regional Policy Statement, our attention can turn to the review of our regional plans. Community engagement on the plans starts in July and we want to work with community and interest groups to build it from the bottom up. This will be a major exercise that is likely to stretch over a couple of years and we will shortly be letting people know how they can become involved,” Fran Wilde said.

The Regional Policy Statement for the Wellington region will be publicly notified on Saturday, 22 May.

See http://www.gw.govt.nz/decisions-on-submissions-on-the-proposed-regional-policy-statement-201/