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The Next Regional Policy Statement

Council Decisions on Water Quality and Land Use, and Coastal Environment provisions

Council notified its decisions on all submissions to the Coastal Environment and Water Quality and Land Use provisions of the Proposed RPS on Tuesday 27 March 2012. 

Only those people who made a submission or further submission on the Coastal Environment or Water Quality and Land Use provisions of the Proposed RPS may lodge an appeal with the Environment Court. 

Decisions on the remainder of the Proposed RPS will be released later this year. The requirements of the current Operative Bay of Plenty Regional Policy Statement will apply until any appeal matters have been completed.

Documents relating to Council's decisions are available for download below.

Water Quality and Land Use

Coastal Environment

The documents can be viewed between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday at the Regional Council offices at:

  • Quay Street, Whakatāne
  • 1125 Arawa Street, Rotorua
  • 6 Rata Street, Mt Maunganui

and at any public library or district/city council office in the region.

To obtain a copy of the above documents please contact Marie Radford, Planning Administration Officer, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, PO Box 364, Whakatāne, phone toll-free on 0800 884 880, fax 0800 884 882, or email marie.radford@boprc.govt.nz

What's in the Proposed RPS?

The Proposed RPS provides a framework for sustainably managing the region's natural and physical resources. It highlights regionally significant issues with our land, air, fresh and coastal water, infrastructure and biodiversity, including issues of significance to iwi. It sets out what needs to be achieved (objectives) and how it will be achieved (policies and methods).

It does not contain rules; instead it sets out how we, and city and district councils, need to manage these resources. It is a more directive policy document than the current operative RPS, especially in relation to regional and district plans and the consideration of resource consents.

The first Bay of Plenty Regional Policy Statement (December 1999) will remain operative until the second is approved. The Proposed Bay of Plenty Regional Policy Statement 2010 (RPS) was released on 9 November 2010. The period for making submissions ended on 8 February 2011 and 183 submissions were received. The period for making further submissions ended on 19 May 2011 and 57 further submissions were received.

Proposed RPS Hearings Completed

Hearings for the Proposed Regional Policy Statement commenced on Thursday 15 September and were completed on Tuesday 18 October. A total of 98 submitters were heard at the Hearings.  Hearings were held in Rotorua, Maketu, Tauranga and Mount Maunganui. All Hearings were open to the public.

Deliberations commenced on Monday 5 December and are scheduled to conclude at the end of May 2012. 

Various reports and documentation were made available to submitters prior to the Hearings and are still available below.

Staff Overview Reports

Changes recommended by staff

Related information

A full version of the Proposed RPS is available for download, as well as individual chapters and appendices.

Social and Economic Impact Assessment Report

A social and economic impact assessment (SEIA) report of seven key Proposed Bay of Plenty Regional Policy Statement policies is now available.  

The SEIA strategic assessment focuses on the impacts for Māori and socially and economically disadvantaged communities in the region. The report focuses on the following seven key policies:

  • Defining catchments at risk (policy WL2B)
  • Allocation of nutrient discharge levels (WL5B)
  • Water allocation principles (WQ 3B)
  • Managing water takes to ensure efficient use (WQ8B)
  • Managing adverse effects of land-based activities on marine water quality (CE9B)
  • Enabling sustainable aquaculture (CE12B)
  • Avoiding inappropriate hazard mitigation works in the coastal environment (CE11B)

Earlier this year we consulted groups which are often under-represented in consultation processes to ensure their voices were heard. This project was undertaken by Dr Adrian Field of Synergia Ltd and Megan Tunks, an independent Māori researcher. Read the SEIA Report  (PDF, 2 MB)

Section 32 reports

Section 32 reports for the Proposed Regional Policy Statement summarise our evaluation of the extent to which each objective is the most appropriate way to achieve the purpose of the Act. Read the Section 32 Reports (2MB)

Newsletters

Read the latest RPS newsletter November 2011  for an update on:

  • proposed Regional Policy Statement Hearings
  • view the Hearings evidence
  • next steps
  • number of submissions received by topic
  • Web-friendly Next RPS

Download a copy of the latest or previous newsletters here:

Want to contact us about the Proposed RPS?

Email: info@boprc.govt.nz
Phone: 0800 884 880
Write to: Regional Policy Statement, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, PO Box 364, Whakatāne 3158