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Regional Water and Land Plan

The purpose of the Regional Water and Land Plan is to promote the sustainable and integrated management of land and water resources within the Bay of Plenty Region. To achieve this, the Regional Water and Land Plan has policies and methods (which include rules) to address issues of use, development and protection of land resources, geothermal resources and freshwater resources, including the beds and margins of water bodies. The resources covered by the Regional Water and Land Plan are:

The Regional Water and Land Plan has replaced the Regional Land Management Plan and Transitional Regional Plan.

Amendment to Regional Water and Land Plan required by National Policy Statement for  Freshwater Management 2011

The National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2011 contains policy direction for regional plans and will be incorporated into the Regional Water and Land Plan by future plan changes as required.

The Council is required to include two of the policies in Regional Plans by 1 July 2011. The Regional Water and Land Plan was amended on 28 June 2011 to insert these policies for resource consent decision making. The two policies adopt the wording set out in Policy A4 and B7 of the National Policy Statement. Section 55(2A) of the Resource Management Act provides for these amendments to be made without public consultation. The new policies will be taken into account for consent applications lodged from 1 July 2011.

Information available

New Policy 43A

New Policy 68A

Copy of Public Notice

National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management

Statutory Acknowledgements

A compendium document is available Ngā Whakaaetanga-ā-Ture ki Te Taiao ā Toi (Statutory Acknowledgements in the Bay of Plenty) to the operative Bay of Plenty Regional Policy Statement and regional plans is available. Check out the Statutory Acknowledgements webpage>> for more information.

Download the plan

Plan Change 8 update and replacement pages (1107KB, pdf)

Water Quality Classification Maps

Stopbanks and Other Flood Control Structures Maps (Rule 45)

The following maps are referred to as part of Rule 45 (Permitted - Damming and Diversion of Flood Waters by Existing Flood Control Structures).

Copies of maps for other areas covered by Stopbanks and Other Flood Control Structure Permitted by Rule 45 are available from Bay of Plenty Regional Council on request.

Implementing the Water and Land Plan

The following information sheets have been produced to track progress made with implementing methods in the plan.  Further information sheets will be produced in relation to other chapters.

Erosion Hazard Zone maps

The following maps form part of the Erosion Hazard Zone,referred to in Section 9.2 of the rules and in the Erosion Hazard Zone definition of the plan.

Order a copy of the Regional Water and Land Plan

Order the plan by phone 0800 884 880 or email us at info@boprc.govt.nz. The costs are as follows (all prices include GST):

  • Regional Water and Land Plan - $55
  • CD containing the Regional Water and Land Plan and all Maps - $15
  • 1:50 000 scale Water Classification Map - $15
  • Plan Change 8 update and replacement pages - n/c

The Regional Water and Land Plan is available to view at Bay of Plenty Regional Council offices, all public libraries throughout the Bay of Plenty and service centres of Bay of Plenty's city and District Councils.