Greater Wellington — Proposed Change 1 to the Natural Resources Plan (NRP)

Where are we in the change process?

Pause to the Plan Change 1 process

Proposed Plan Change 1 to the Natural Resources Plan (PC1) is currently paused effective from 26 June 2025. The plan change process will resume when there is greater certainty on the direction of the amended National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (which may be post-Cabinet decisions and prior to gazettal).

The notified version of proposed PC1 remains in effect during the pause period.

Further information on the decision to pause PC1 is available in the Council order paper from the 26 June 2025 Council Meeting (item 6).

A minute from the Hearing Panel was issued on 2 July 2025 which outlines the implications for the PC1 hearings. Minute 14 - Pausing of Plan Change 1 Hearing Process

Variation to Plan Change 1

Council is preparing to notify a variation to Plan Change 1 which will make amendments to the following aspects of PC1:

The date by which financial contributions would be payable
The date by which the hydrological control requirements of the permitted activity rules WH.R5 and P.R5 would apply

As a result of amendments to Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act 2025 (plan stop amendments) council was required to seek approval from the Minister for the Environment to proceed with a variation to PC1.

On 7 November 2025, the Minister for the Environment granted the Council an exemption to proceed with Variation 1 in its entirety. You can read the exemption letter here.

Notification of Variation 1 is planned for the end of this November 2025. Details on how to make a submission will be made available at time of notification.

You can view the proposed wording for the variation (PDF 303 KB) as well as a document detailing the context for the changes (PDF 155 KB) .

It is important to note is that this is the proposed wording. It is not operative and therefore the current version of PC1 will continue to be applied by our regulation team until a variation is formally notified.

Submissions

This stage is now closed

Hearings

This stage starts in November 2024

Decisions

We aren't at this stage of the process yet.

Appeals

(If required).
We aren't at this stage of the process yet.

Proposed Change 1 to the Natural Resources Plan Mapping

Use the 'Layer List' to view the Proposed Change 1 to the Natural Resources Plan mapping through Greater Wellington's GIS Viewer.

Background, Process and More Information

Proposed Change 1 (PDF 53 MB) to the Natural Resources Plan for the Wellington Region (Proposed Change 1) focusses on: 

Proposed Change 1 includes implementation of some regulatory and non-regulatory recommendations from Te Awarua-o-Porirua (TAoP) and Te Whanganui-a-Tara (TWT) Implementation Programmes, and other regulatory amendments to the NRP.

The Whaitua Implementation Programme amendments focus on the achievement of the proposed objectives for TAoP and TWT, and managing key activities to control their impacts on water quality and ecological health, including:

Existing stormwater discharges
Stormwater discharges from new urban development and redevelopment
Wastewater discharges
Sediment from land disturbance activities such as earthworks, plantation forestry, vegetation clearance and pastoral farming
Discharges of nutrients and microbial pathogens from rural land uses
Water allocation (TAoP only)

Other regulatory amendments include:

Amendments to the air quality rules,
Amendments to the beds of lakes and rivers rules, and
New sites with significant biodiversity values.

Proposed Change 1 documentation can also be viewed in person at:

Greater Wellington Regional Council – Wellington Office, 100 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington
Greater Wellington Regional Council – Masterton Office, 34 Chapel Street, Masterton
Public libraries throughout the region

The process for preparing Proposed Plan Change 1

Greater Wellington is satisfied that part of Proposed Change 1 to the Natural Resources Plan is a ‘freshwater planning instrument’ and therefore subject to the freshwater planning process under Section 80A and Part 4 of Schedule 1 of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). Proposed Change 1 to the Natural Resources Plan document identifies the new or amended provisions that form part of the ‘freshwater planning instrument’ using a freshwater symbol as follows:
The provisions that are part of the 'freshwater planning instrument' either give effect to the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 (NPS-FM) with respect to freshwater quality or quantity, or otherwise relate directly to matters which impact freshwater quality or quantity. Amended or proposed Regional Coastal Plan provisions cannot be part of a freshwater planning instrument. The Section 32 report (PDF 4.6 MB) justifies why each provision is part of the freshwater planning instrument.

The remaining Proposed Change 1 provisions that are not part of a 'freshwater planning instrument', that is, those provisions that are not identified by the freshwater symbol, will proceed through the standard process for preparing a regional plan change under Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the RMA.

More information

Find out more about our wider plan change work programme.

If you have further questions, please contact the Environmental Policy team at regionalplan@gw.govt.nz

Questions & Answers

What is the Natural Resources Plan?

Regional councils have a role in managing land where it affects water quality and quantity, soil conservation, and natural hazards. We set out how to manage discharges or activities involving these resources, to stop degradation or pollution. These plans tell you what you can or cannot do, and if you might need specific permission to use a resource.

In the Wellington region, our regional plan is called the Natural Resources Plan.

The purpose of the Natural Resources Plan (NRP) is to promote the sustainable and integrated management of land and water in the Wellington region.

To achieve this, the NRP has objectives, policies and methods (which include rules) to address issues of use, development and protection of land resources and freshwater resources, including the beds and margins of water bodies. The resources covered by the Natural Resources Plan are the Wellington region’s:

Coast
Air
Water
Land

The Natural Resources Plan for the Wellington region is an integration and replacement of five regional plans for soil, fresh water, air, discharges to land, and the coastal marine area.

Why is the Natural Resources Plan important?

Regional councils have a role in managing land where it affects water quality and quantity, soil conservation, and natural hazards. We set out how to manage discharges or activities involving these resources, to stop degradation or pollution. These plans tell you what you can or cannot do, and if you might need specific permission to use a resource.

In the Wellington region, our regional plan is called the Natural Resources Plan.

Why is the Natural Resources Plan being changed?

We must review every provision (objective, policy, rule, or other method) in our Natural Resources Plan every 10 years.  

Some councils review their entire plan (known as a full review). Others tackle sections at a time (known as a rolling review). Councils can also change their plan at other times if needed. A national policy statement or national planning standard may require a change in a plan within a certain timeframe. 

The provisions of the Proposed Natural Resources Plan were deemed operative (under section 86F of the Resource Management Act 1991) in November 2021, and they need an update. Proposed Plan Change 1 to our Natural Resources Plan is being driven by the need to implement new national direction, the Wellington Regional Growth Framework, and Whaitua recommendations.

What does a change mean?

A plan change is a formal process under the Resource Management Act 1991 to change one or more provisions of the Natural Resources Plan.

What are the key drivers of Plan Change 1?

The changes are being driven by the need to implement Whaitua recommendations for te Awarua-o-Porirua and Te Whanganui-a-Tara, and the national direction for freshwater management.

Who can submit on a change?

Any person or organisation that may be affected can make a submission on any of the proposed changes to the Natural Resources Plan, either online or in written form.

If a person or organisation could gain an advantage in trade competition through a submission, then they may only make a submission if an effect of the Change adversely affects the environment and does not relate to trade competition or the effects of trade competition. 

A second round of submissions, known as ‘further submissions’, is also required, however the scope of who may make a further submission is limited to someone representing a relevant aspect of the public interest, someone that has an interest greater than the general public, or the local authority itself. Further submissions may only be made in support or opposition of submissions made in the first round.

What issues does the Natural Resources Plan deal with?

The key natural resource issues identified across the region relate to:

The quality of freshwater in both urban and rural areas
The allocation and efficient use of water, including groundwater
The state of the coastal environment, particularly the impacts that land use and degraded freshwater systems have on coastal and estuarine ecosystems.
The management of natural hazards, including earthquakes, flooding hazard and natural erosion.

Other natural resource management considerations such as soil conservation, air quality, heritage protection and managing sites of significance are also addressed in the Plan.

Supporting documents

Proposed Plan Change 1 document as notified on 30 October 2023 (PDF 61 MB)
Clause 16 Memo - 6 December 2023 (PDF 131 KB)
Proposed Plan Change 1 Section 32 report provides the reasoning supporting the proposed changes (PDF 4.7 MB)
Full public notice setting out the date of notification and the process for participation (PDF 224 KB)
Form 5 - GWRC Plan Change 1 to the Natural Resources Plan Change (XLSX 54 KB)
Guide to making a submission (PDF 306 KB)
Online submission Portal
Information Statement (PDF 253 KB)
GIS Map database
We have made changes to Plan Change 1 maps 90-95 to improve the user experience. Changes include: addition of aerial basemap, new erosion-risk tile images for faster loading, and contextual data (roads, parcels and address points) for viewing at a large scale (i.e. when zoomed in)

Technical reports

All Technical reports (PDF 24 MB)

Documents incorporated by reference

Plan Change 1 has some documents incorporated by reference.

FULL PUBLIC NOTICE - Proposed Plan Change 1 to the Natural Resources Plan for the Wellington Region - Documents proposed to be incorporated by reference (PDF 132 KB)

Documents incorporated by reference’ are publications which are referred to within Plan Change 1.

Most of the documents to be incorporated by reference are available for viewing online through the links below. Full sets of the documents to be incorporated by reference are also available for viewing at:

Greater Wellington Regional Council – Wellington Office, 100 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington
Greater Wellington Regional Council – Masterton Office, 34 Chapel Street, Masterton (except the New Zealand Standards, these are available to view in person on request)

You can also arrange to view the documents at any Greater Wellington office around the Region by calling 0800 496 734.

New Zealand Acts and Regulations:

Australian and New Zealand Standards:

The following documents are published by Standards New Zealand and cannot be viewed online for copyright reasons. Please contact Greater Wellington to arrange to see a copy of these standards in person.

AS/NZS 2243.8:2014 Safety in Laboratories -Part 8: Fume cupboards
AS/NZS 4114:2020 Spray painting booths, designated spray painting areas and paint mixing rooms
NZS 8409:2021 Management of agrichemicals

Other publications:

Whakataki
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Proposed Change 1 to the Natural Resources Plan (NRP)

Where are we in the change process?

Pause to the Plan Change 1 process

Variation to Plan Change 1

Submissions

Hearings

Decisions

Appeals

Proposed Change 1 to the Natural Resources Plan Mapping

Background, Process and More Information

The process for preparing Proposed Plan Change 1

More information

Questions & Answers

Supporting documents

Technical reports

Documents incorporated by reference

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