We've been reviewing the Tairāwhiti Resource Management Plan (TRMP) to ensure it continues to meet the needs of our communities and supports the sustainable management of land, water, and natural resources. As a combined unitary plan under the Resource Management Act, the TRMP guides how we manage development and how we protect the environment and support community wellbeing across Tairāwhiti.
Because the plan is large and wide‑ranging, we began the review through a series of targeted plan changes and had made good progress. However, in August 2025, the Government introduced Plan Stop legislation, requiring councils to pause further plan reviews or new plan changes unless an exemption is granted.
Plan Stop legislation
The Plan Stop legislation supports the national transition to a new resource management system. It prevents councils from notifying new plan changes until 31 December 2027 unless they receive an automatic or discretionary exemption.
The legislation also extends restrictions on notifying freshwater planning instruments, including our catchment plans and the Regional Freshwater Plan, until the same date.
Exemptions we applied for
Because some planning issues in Tairāwhiti are urgent and work was already well underway when the legislation came into effect, Council applied for 2 exemptions:
- Urban Plan Change 6
- Sustainable Land Use programme. The exemption request was declined in August 2026
Urban Plan Change 6
We've re-opened a limited and targeted further submission period for proposed Urban Plan Change 6.
These limited further submissions close at 12 noon 7 October 2026.
On 5 February 2026, Council received an exemption to continue with Proposed Urban Plan Change 6 (UPC6).
UPC6 updates the planning rules and zoning for Gisborne city to enable a wider range of housing types in appropriate locations. The plan change aims to:
- increase housing supply
- improve housing affordability
- support growth in safe, well-serviced areas
- meet national planning requirements
- protect highly productive and fertile soils.
What the Plan Stop legislation means for us
The legislation means:
- councils are no longer required to complete 10-year plan reviews or implement the National Planning Standards.
- councils can't notify new plan or regional policy statement reviews, changes or variations unless they have an exemption
- freshwater planning instruments - including our catchment plans and the regional freshwater plan, can't be notified until 31 December 2027.
What this means for our plan review
Council recognises the urgent need to address issues that reflect the realities we face here in Tairāwhiti. This is why we've applied for 2 exemptions so that critical work can continue – Urban Plan Change 6 and our work on transitioning land use.
Urban Plan Change 6 updates district plan rules for Gisborne city that are more than 20 years old and aims to enable more housing in safe, well-serviced areas.
Preparing for the new system
We're reshaping our resource management planning work programme so we're ready for the transition to the new resource management system. The Ministry for the Environment is developing the draft policy direction and legislation for this new system and out goal is a smooth transition for our region.
We'll keep our community updated on the outcomes of any exemption processes and share opportunities for people to have their say as our work progresses.
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