The Resource Management Act (RMA) has long been the bane of developers, homeowners, and even council staff planners and RMA lawyers who have spent decades deciphering a labyrinth of plans, rules, and court decisions.

Successive Governments have had a crack at fixing the RMA. Back in 2023, we reported on the then-enacted replacement, the Natural and Built Environment Act and the Spatial Planning Act – both of which were promptly repealed by the incoming Government.

But change is afoot via the Government’s 2025 reform, promising to swap the RMA’s “culture of no” for a “yes, but…” with a side of property rights and environmental safeguards. Here’s the lowdown on the proposed shake-up.

Similar to the repealed version, the new RMA’s solution is a double header Act, but with revised features:

1. The Natural Environment Act: This focuses on protecting rivers, forests, and fauna. This is the eco-conscious aspect of the operation,

2. The Planning Act: this focuses on our urban environments and ‘activities’, built form, residential, industrial and commercial land uses. This Act includes the much-debated ‘fast-track’ opportunity for housing, roads, and infrastructure – this is the “getting stuff built” component.

· Property Rights Take Centre Stage: Landowners may be able to assume their plans will be approved unless they significantly annoy their neighbours or harm the environment.

· Fewer Headaches: The complexity-reduced system is expected to cut compliance costs/time by nearly half, up to 45%. This means less time spent arguing about minor non-compliances and more time… doing the mahi.

· National Rules, Local Tweaks: Gone are the days of individual councils having multiple different zones for the same land use types, resulting in approximately 1,175 different zone types across NZ. A slash and burn standardisation approach will replace this zone multiplicity with a reduced ‘manageable’ number of zones and a more consistent, if not more generic approach. This is intended to relieve landowners, developers and planners away from a plethora of different controls, barriers, and red tape.

· Climate Change Stays: The reforms still require planning for rising seas and fiercer storms, so coastal homeowners aren’t entirely off the hook.

· Treaty Clause Axed: The RMA’s Treaty of Waitangi provisions won’t carry over, though Māori land productivity measures are in the works. More debate in this area is anticipated.

· Fast-Track: The reforms encapsulate the controversial Fast-Track Approvals Act, meaning some projects might seek to dodge the usual red tape altogether. (Cue more)

· 2025: Bills introduced.

· 2026: Public submissions (prepare your “but what about my view?” speeches).

· 2027: New laws kick in, just in time for councils’ next long-term plans.

The RMA has been blamed for everything from unaffordable housing to the national identity crisis over whether we’re a “clean, green” paradise or a bureaucratic quagmire. These reforms aim to split the difference: grow the economy and protect nature. The finer points have yet to be sorted out, however, questions arise:

– Will it work? Or is this a nod to the classic Kiwi “she’ll be right” and “trust me, I know what I’m doing” attitude?

– Will the generic approach diminish the unique character of each Region/District of New Zealand? ie.

We will all have to wait until the Select Committee hashes these matters out.

New Zealand’s RMA reforms aim to replace red tape with property rights, streamlined planning, and a cost-cutting approach, whilst also keeping environmental protections intact and maybe fewer Councils. It’s a high-stakes balancing act. If it works, we may deliver on addressing housing shortfalls, getting new roads and infrastructure – but at what cost to regional identity, character and independence? – Fingers crossed for a bright and prosperous future for all.

Whatever the reforms bring, Stradegy is on hand to navigate outcomes for our clients.