We’re reviewing the Tairāwhiti Resource Management Plan to ensure it reflects the needs of our communities. As a combined unitary plan under section 80 of the Resource Management Act (RMA), it guides how we manage and protect Tairāwhiti’s natural and physical resources - including land use, development, and environmental wellbeing.
Because the plan is large and wide-ranging, we’re updating it through a series of targeted plan changes, outlined below. This work has been underway since 2021 however, recent government announcements preventing the notification of plan changes will require us to change our work programme.
The Government has recently announced their intention to introduce significant ‘plan stop’ changes preventing councils from notifying plan changes. These changes are part of a broader transition to a new resource management system expected to be in place from 2027.
Key changes for us
- Removing the requirement to undertake 10-year reviews on our plans or implement the National Planning Standards.
- Removing the ability to notify new plan or regional policy statement reviews, changes or variations unless we have an automatic or discretionary exemption.
- Extending the restriction on notifying freshwater planning instruments for a further two years to 31 December 2027 which includes our catchment plans, and our regional freshwater plan.
What this means for our plan review
We can’t notify any of the plan changes under the Tairāwhiti Resource Management Plan review unless they are granted an exemption from the minister. After the local elections in October, we will confirm with the incoming Council their priorities for the review programme, any exemptions to seek from the Minister and the approach for transitioning to a new system.
Preparing for the new system
We’re preparing for the shift to the new planning system.
This includes:
- Staying aligned with evolving government direction.
- Advocating for what Tairāwhiti needs from a new future system.
- Actively planning for the transition to the new resource management system.
We’ll continue working alongside tangata whenua, our communities and key stakeholders to ensure local voices shape our decisions, on the plan review and transitioning to the new system.
How we're reviewing the TRMP
Why and how it's being reviewed and how to get involved
Regional Policy Statement
Review of the Regional Policy Statement provisions
Forestry Plan Changes
Forestry harvest provisions and land overlay mapping and wider TRMP
Catchment Planning
Review and development of 7 river catchment plans
Freshwater Plan
Review of the regional freshwater management plan
District Plan Changes
Plans and projects related to the plan review
How to stay informed
You can stay up to date on Government announcements here:
- Government to stop Council plan changes – Beehive.govt.nz
- Sign up for updates - Ministry for the Environment — Manatū Mō Te Taiao
- Speech to 2025 LGNZ Conference – Beehive.govt.nz
We will continue to share updates through our usual channels – website, social media, and He Pānui – sign up here:
- Check for any open engagements - kōrero mai have your say via our engagement portal
- Ask us a question - email the team at trmp@gdc.govt.nz
- Sign up for Council News | He Pānui - using this form