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.
The Plan Stop legislation
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. It also extends restrictions on notifying freshwater planning instruments, including our catchment plans and the regional freshwater plan - until the same date.
Exemptions we have applied for
Because some issues in Tairāwhiti are urgent and work was already well underway, Council applied for 2 exemptions:
- Urban Plan Change 6
- Sustainable Land Use programme
We're still waiting to hear back on our exemption request for the Sustainable Land Use programme.
Plan Change 6
On 5 February we received an exemption for proposed Urban Plan Change 6, which updates zoning rules for Gisborne city and will support more housing in safe, well-serviced areas.
Proposed Urban Plan Change 6 will update the planning rules to enable a wider range of housing types, supporting increased supply, improving affordability, meeting national requirements and protecting our fertile soils.
Further submission period ends at 12 noon on Wednesday 12 August
Earlier this year, Council sought submissions on Proposed Urban Plan Change 6. We are now at the further submissions stage of the formal consultation process.
Proposed Urban Plan Change 6 will update the planning rules to enable a wider range of housing types, supporting increased supply, improving affordability, while meeting national requirements and protecting our fertile soils.
Further submissions provide the opportunity for eligible people or organisations to support or oppose points made in the submissions already received on Proposed Urban Plan Change 6.
A further submission cannot raise new issues or seek new changes that were not included in an original submission.
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.
Stay engaged:
- Check for open engagements and consultations on our engagement portal
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