RMA Reform Act

Public Meeting Summary: RMA Reforms & What We Learned

A recent public meeting brought together local residents, ratepayers and government representatives to discuss proposed reforms to the Resource Management Act (RMA). Guest speakers Carl Bates and Simon Court provided updates on the reform programme and answered questions from the community.

Expertise & Insight

Both speakers brought practical, first-hand experience to the discussion:

• Carl Bates focused on the real-world impact of the RMA locally, sharing examples from Whanganui where projects have been delayed, made more expensive or blocked entirely due to complex consenting requirements. His perspective centered on how the current system is affecting businesses, infrastructure and housing supply on the ground.

• Simon Court, drawing on his background as a civil engineer and former council project advisor, provided technical insight into how the system operates and why reform is being proposed. He outlined how risk-averse council processes, excessive conditions and inconsistent rules have driven up costs and slowed development and explained how the new system is intended to address those issues.

Together, their contributions combined local examples with policy detail, giving attendees both the “why” and the “how” behind the proposed changes.

What was new or clarified:

• Major simplification coming: New Zealand’s planning system is set to move from over 1,100 zones to an estimated 30 - 40 nationwide, aiming to reduce complexity and cost.

• Reduced council control over private property: Councils will no longer be able to regulate many low-level property decisions (e.g. design, layout, aesthetics), signaling a significant shift toward property rights.

• Immediate changes post-legislation: Some reforms - like the new “proportionality” test and reduced consideration of minor effects - are expected to take effect within a month of the law passing.

• Planning Tribunal confirmed: A new, lower-cost dispute resolution body is planned (targeted for 2027), aimed at replacing costly Environment Court challenges.

• Less public notification: Fewer developments will require neighbour or public consultation unless impacts clearly exceed permitted thresholds (e.g. overshadowing or traffic effects).

Local issues and examples raised:

Real examples of RMA failure in Whanganui included:

• • A quarry delayed despite being needed for road construction

  • An egg production facility blocked by impractical consent conditions

  • Tourism accommodation requiring excessive building requirements

Concerns were raised about:

• • Lack of clarity around what counts as “minor” vs “more than minor” effects

  • Reduced ability for neighbours to object to developments

  • Whether promised cost savings will actually flow through to homeowners

• Housing and granny flats:
  While reforms aim to enable 70m² granny flats nationwide, it was noted that 30–50% of Whanganui properties may still be constrained by existing layout and setback issues.

Overall takeaway

The reforms represent a major shift toward a simpler, nationally standardised planning system with fewer delays and lower compliance. However, key concerns remain around local impacts, reduced public input and whether the changes will genuinely lower costs for ratepayers.