The NBA (the Natural and Built Environment Act) and the SPA (the Spatial Planning Act) were passed by the Parliament on 16 August 2023 and they began coming into effect since 24 August. Their full implementation is expected to take place over about ten years.
The UDF has made submissions on both Acts. We are working on summaries on where particular points of our submissions have (or haven’t) landed in the Acts.
We would love the broader membership to contribute to our collective understanding of our new resource management environment. Perhaps you would consider writing a blog post, sharing your thoughts on what some of the changes may mean for urban design in Aotearoa?
Some of the changes that are effective immediately from 24 August include:
- fast track consenting for certain housing and infrastructure developments
- a new maximum duration for new freshwater- related consents
- changes to council enforcement powers and penalties
- changes to the management of contaminated land
- changes to aquaculture management.
Ministry for the Environment has more information including summaries on particular topics on their website:
A new resource management system for Aotearoa New Zealand | Ministry for the Environment
