By Anna Bensemann | Sept 08, 2021
Understanding changes in legislation can be difficult enough, and with the Government bringing in new provisions under National Policy Statements and National Environmental Standards, it can be difficult to keep up. At a local level, there are many district and unitary councils going through a plan change process after their 10-year plan review and are making rule and policy changes consistent with national legislative changes.
The daunting process of keeping up with this change is important, not only for having your say on any proposed provisions at submission time, but also to understand your ongoing obligations for the lawful operation of your business.
There are two key dates in the life of a plan change that trigger when rules become operative, and therefore start to impact your business. The first is when the plan is initially publicly notified. Even before you make a submission to the rules there are a suite of rules that have legal effect immediately. These rules relate to the following: protection of water, air or soil for soil conservation, areas of significant indigenous vegetation, significant habitats of indigenous fauna, historic heritage, or aquaculture activities.
If you wish to undertake an activity that requires resource consent under these new rules, or in the case of water take and use, discharges to land, air or water or any coastal activities you need to renew a consent that has an expiry date, you will need to comply with the notified rules if they have immediate legal effect.
The second key date in the life of a plan change is the day that decisions are released. This is after all submissions and further submissions have been received, and hearings are complete. The decision-makers will release their findings, and 30 working days after this any parts of the plan change not appealed to the Environment Court are considered to be operative.
This is when rules relating to subdivision, and land use consents such as building placement on properties, use of land for commercial or residential activities out of the designated zone, or any other matter not already legally operative under the first key date. Anyone with an existing land use consent does not have to change what they are doing to fit with the new rules, it is only new activities or significant changes to existing activities that will be subject to the new land use consent rules.
Given Plan Changes can take years to complete and may result in significant changes at key milestones, it is important to be clear about when rules have a legal effect in order to ensure you are meeting your legal compliance during the plan change process.
Articles you might be interested in
- Why we have complicated septic tank disposal rules
- Rural allotment sizes set to double in West Selwyn
- Flood Management | Changes in Selwyn
- Is the RMA really the problem?
- The Role of Planning in the Climate Change - Discussion for Agriculture
- Flood Management – An Update
- Spotlight on District Plan Provisions
- RMA changes are coming, are you ready?
- What to do when you inherit land
- Is it a Wetland or Not?
- What does your zone mean for you and your property?
- Subdividing – The Basics
- Fundamental Culture Shift in New Zealand Planning Legislation.
- Housing Intensification – Not for Everyone Says CCC
- Rural Allotment Sizes set to Double
- Is planning the cause of red tape for land development?
- Negotiating with Neighbours Under the RMA
- Planning Permissions – Resource Consent or Plan Change?
- Rivers, Lakes and Coastline, Public Space for All
- What does a professional planner do?
- Managing Waterbodies on Your Property: What Landowners Need to Know
- Make Your Additional Land Profitable Under the Selwyn Proposed Plan
- Your Rights as an Affected Neighbour: Navigating Development Under the RMA
- Cross Lease Titles
- How lizards might affect your new development
- The costs of subdividing hitting Selwyn | development contributions
- What does The Selwyn District Plan (appeals version) mean for the planning process and consent?
- Risks to farmland in the planning framework
- Selwyn District Council Changes Urban Allotment Sizes
- Understanding Land Covenants: What You Need to Know
- A recent Baseline Group project was recognised at the 2022 Canterbury Architecture Awards
- Our History - How We All Play a Part in its Protection
- Councils are Increasing Residential Density, but why, who does it benefit?
- The importance of knowing your boundaries
- Planning Rules can Affect Property Value
- Back to Basics for the RMA Reforms
- Good District Plan provisions save time and money
- Managing Cultural Heritage Sites
- The impact of consent notices when purchasing land
- Have your say on Development Projects
- Understanding Zoning and Density Rules in Selwyn
- Highly Productive Soils – Big Picture Thinking vs Private Landowners Needs
- Who Shapes our Planning Rules?
- Outstanding Natural Features and Landscapes - effect on farming
- Confused by Environmental Legislation? You are Not Alone.
- New Indigenous Biodiversity Legislation Mandates Significant Natural Area Identification
- Historic Heritage Challenges for Landowners
- How Tree Canopies Transform Neighbourhoods and Enhance Lives
- Time's up on the RMA
- Ensuring Compliance with Resource Management Laws
- Game changers for housing under the RMA
- How to navigate Rural Land Development Under the National Policy Statement on Highly Productive Soils
- Minimum Car Parking Requirements to be Chopped
- Navigating Prior Engineering Acceptance for Urban Developments in Selwyn
- Who Pays for Infrastructure in Greenfield Land Development?
- The Taking of Esplanades at the Time of Subdivision
- The dream of subdividing your land
- Importance of Sediment Management in Land Development Projects: Simple Techniques for Effective Sediment Runoff Control
- The National Policy Statement for Natural Hazard Decision-Making and its effects on Resource Consents
- Hazardous activities, land contamination and resource consent applications
- Change isn't coming, it's here!
- Balancing Common Sense and Legal Process under the RMA: Protecting Communities and the Environment
- Cross lease titles - an overview
- Changes to Resource Management Planning Signalled in Proposed Legislation
- Navigating New Opportunities: The Importance of Land Development Planning in 2024
- Commercial Activity in a Rural Zone – What’s the Harm?
- Planning land use to be resilient to natural hazards
- Tiny Home Revolution May Not Save Costs
- What does an activity status mean for your land development?
- Crime Prevention Through Environment Design (CPTED)
- But that’s the way we have always done it!
- Land Development opportunities and times of change
- District Plan in Selwyn – How will it Affect You?
- The rise or fall of rural lifestyle blocks in the Selwyn District?
- Burning crop stubble on your property?
- Time matters – With Resource Consent
- Wild Weather and Resource Consent Requirements
- Build-to-Rent Development in New Zealand: A Rising Trend in Housing
- A New Dawn for Granny Flats and Accessory Dwellings
- With increasing density, good design matters
- Proposed Selwyn District Plan Update
- Proposed Selwyn District Plan - What next?
- The Role of Planning in Land and Property Development
- The Great Forestry Debate
- Highly Productive Soils – Big Picture Thinking vs Private Landowners Needs
- How might Development Contributions affect you?
- Submissions to a Resource Consent by Affected Parties
- Crunch Time For New Freshwater Legislation
- Buildings under exemptions may still need resource consent
- Granny Flats to Be Allowed, Without Consent: What Homeowners Need to Know
- State highways, noise and reverse sensitivity: what’s the buzz?
- Boundary disputes – What are they and how can you resolve them?
- Indigenous Biodiversity: what does it mean for a farmer?
- Going for housing growth, to improve housing affordability
- Managing Wastewater in Rural Canterbury: A Guide for Property Owners
- Adapting to a Depreciating New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
- Tiny Homes and Granny Flats
- Minimum car parking requirements to be chopped
- Housing Growth continues in Selwyn with Legislative Support