Speeding up the resource consent process and giving Kiwis more choice

The Government has passed changes to improve the Resource Management Act that will untangle unnecessary red tape for New Zealanders.

Last week, Parliament passed the Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining) Amendment Bill, which will enter into law from October 1 and will make things quicker and easier for New Zealanders to get resource consents from their local councils.

The changes to the Resource Management Act will remove costs, uncertainties and delays that have frustrated New Zealand homeowners, small businesses and farmers for years.

One of the key changes to the Act will see local Councils required to pay back some of the costs if they are too slow in processing resource consents.

Environment Minister Hon Nick Smith has put through the changes to ensure that New Zealanders are able to build on and enjoy their properties without having to put up with lengthy and costly delays from local councils.

The key changes to the Act include: Removing frivolous and anti-competitive objections that can add tens of thousands of dollars to consent applicants; streamlining processes for projects of national significance; creating an Environmental Protection Authority; improving plan development and plan change processes; improving resource consent processes; streamlining decision making; and strengthening compliance by increasing penalties and proving for a wider range of enforcement.

Another change to the Act will allow those living in Auckland to trim trees on their properties without having to apply for resource consent, which will save the Councils from having to process more than 3000 resource consents per year.

Currently, the Auckland region is the only area of New Zealand to have a blanket tree protection rule, which forces homeowners to apply for resource consent in order to trim trees on their properties - with Council figures revealing that 97 percent of consents for trimming and removing trees are granted.

By removing the requirement for a resource consent, it will save the Councils thousands of dollars in processing costs, as well as ensuring that New Zealanders have choices about how they enjoy their properties.

However, Councils will still have the authority to identify trees, such as rare native species, that justify the protection of the Resource Management Act.

These changes are about the National-led Government delivering on our pre-election promises to reshape the law and make it less costly and more effective.