Site Use

Considering how a building and site impact on each other, enhancing energy efficiency, comfort and convenience.

Resource Management Act (RMA)

The Resource Management Act (RMA) provides a framework for regional, city/district and unitary councils to manage the land and environment under their jurisdiction. Councils are required to produce Regional or District Plans for the management of air, water, land and sea and define the activities that may or may not be carried out as of right.

Under the Act, activities that are considered to adversely affect the environment, and therefore may not be carried out as of right, require resource consent. There are five different types of resource consent that are issued by different consent authorities:

Type of consent Consenting authority responsible
Land use consent Regional, city or district council
Subdivision consent City or district council
Coastal permit Regional council
Water permit Regional council
Discharge permit Regional council

In 2009, in an attempt to increase the efficiency by streamlining some of the consent processes, the Resource Management Amendment Act (RMAA 2009) came into effect. Principal changes include:

  • reduction in the time to reach decisions regarding proposals of national significance
  • establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  • streamlining the resource consent application process.

There are a number of transitional provisions that will be effective for a period of time, and regulations are being updated in accordance with the amended Act.

More information

Overview of the changes to the RMA

Resource Management Amendment Act 2009 fact sheets