One plan to cut resource management inertia

Good news for developers and investors is on its way. The Royal Commission on Auckland Governance intends to cut the red tape associated with the Resource Management Act.

Monday, March 30th 2009, 10:23AM

by Vicki Holder

In its report released last Friday (March 27) it says the unnecessary complexity of the current planning under the Resource Management Act must be revised.

The commission says several factors of the system cause unnecessary complexity.

These include the large number of key decision-makers who exercise resource management powers; the overlaps in jurisdiction; the sheer number of plans and rules, each with their own style and presentation, and; the number of resource consents that are often required to authorise development of land, buildings, businesses and infrastructure.

It has considered options for removing complexity by reducing the number of local authorities and plans, reducing the number of district plans and removing unnecessary overlaps in jurisdiction between territorial authorities and the regional council.

The commission asks whether it’s possible and practical to have only one District Plan for the Auckland region. This would require agreement by all existing territorial authorities to prepare a combined plan or to prepare just one plan.

On the advice it has received, the commission is satisfied the answer to this question is yes, though it has little confidence in the practical ability of territorial authorities to prepare a single district plan because of timing and governance issues.

The commission reached the view that the production of fewer plans and policy statements is a better way to reduce complexity than standardising planning approaches for existing plans.

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