Regional Policy Statement (RPS) Proposed Change 1

Background Information

The Regional Policy Statement (RPS) for the Wellington Region provides an overview of the resource management issues of the Region and sets out the policies and methods to achieve integrated resource management of the natural and physical resources of the whole region. 

Change 1 of the RPS will account for new national direction.  It includes: 

• Enabling urban development and infrastructure in appropriate locations. Encouraging more intensive urban development that is sensitive to the environment and meets the needs of more people. 
• Developing objectives with our mana whenua partners to protect our waterways, including: 
  • How Te Mana o Te Wai applies to freshwater in the region. 
  • Long-term visions for freshwater bodies in areas with completed whaitua processes. 
• Responding to the climate emergency: 
  • Through provisions to reduce emissions. 
  • By recognising the role that natural ecosystems play. 
  • By reducing the impacts of climate change. 
• Strengthening the existing provisions for indigenous ecosystems to maintain and restore ecosystem processes and biodiversity generally, not just significant biodiversity. 

Changes were publicly notified in August 2022. Further Submissions, in support or in opposition to a submission were open in December 2022.

The Proposed RPS 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  

Note that under the RMA, all submissions and accompanying data must be made available for public inspection. Submissions are available to view here. For more information regarding this and your privacy please view our Privacy Statement.

The process for preparing Proposed RPS Change 1 

Greater Wellington is satisfied that part of Proposed Change 1 to the Regional Policy Statement 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 (RMA). The Proposed Change 1 to the Regional Policy Statement 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 NPS-FM with respect to freshwater quality or quantity or otherwise relate directly to matters which impact freshwater quality or quantity. The Section 32 report (PDF 5.3 MB) justifies why each provision is part of the freshwater planning instrument.  

The remaining Proposed Change 1 to the Regional Policy Statement 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 policy statement under Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the RMA.