A word from the Mayor
As Deputy Chair of the Canterbury Mayoral Forum, I spoke to the Canterbury Mayoral Forum submission for the select committee on the Natural Environmental Bill and Planning Bill.
Both Bills provide distinct but consistent approaches for environmental management and land use planning.
The Natural Bill establishes a framework for the use, protection and enhancement of the natural environment and the Planning Bill establishes a framework for planning and regulating the use, development and enjoyment of land.
Both these two Bills will work in tandem to replace the Resource Management Act of 1991 and is guided by the objectives to make it easier to get things done by unlocking development capacity for housing and business growth and to enable delivery of high-quality infrastructure for the future, including doubling renewable energy and enabling primary sector growth and development.
The submission highlighted Canterbury’s strong and proud record of working together for the good of the whole region and that reform is necessary and over-due, but expressed their concern about the raft of changes being proposed i.e. simplifying local government and rate capping and the subsequent consequences these will have on getting the implementation of the Resource Management system right, especially for our rate payers as the cost to change cannot be overstated. We agree that local government systems need to change but also note that the resource management reform must take priority for implementation and transition.
The intention is that these objectives will be done while also safeguarding the natural environment and human health, while adapting to the effects of climate change and reducing the risks of natural hazards, improving regulatory quality in the planning system and uphold the Treaty settlements.
The details of the reform have been made to ensure that change will deliver on the transformation the Government is seeking which includes a simpler, clearer system providing for greater certainty and less litigation and a quicker, more streamlined and efficient planning process to manage growth and leaving New Zealanders free to do more with their land.
The Mayoral Forum has long been a strong advocate of subsidiarity and locally led decision making and supports the local government role and that community must be reflected in the resource management system.
We voiced our concerns about the shift towards greater centralised decision making when regulation thresholds are set appropriately and tested through evidence, promotes growth, enabling and shaping great cities, townships and neighbourhoods all that are set within an environment which complements and enhances their identity.
Canterbury is a large, diverse region and within the region each community’s sense of place and identity for urban and rural is fundamental for its ongoing success.
