Current status
Bay of Plenty Regional Council adopted the recommendations of the Hearing Panel on submissions to Proposed Change 6 (NPS-UD) to the Regional Policy Statement. The decision was released on 12 February 2024.
The period for making appeals on the decision has now closed. Four separate appeal processes are currently underway.
Appeals
Separate appeals were lodged on RPS Proposed Change 6 (NPS-UD) by Bell Road Partnership Limited, KiwiRail Holdings Limited, Urban TaskForce and Bluehaven Investments Limited.
Section 274 Notices of Appeal
Section 274 Notices have been received from Urban TaskForce, Tauranga City Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Ngā Pōtiki ā Tamapahore Trust and Fonterra Limited.
Parties to Bell Road Partnership Limited Appeal
Parties to KiwiRail Holdings Limited Appeal
Parties to Urban TaskForce for Tauranga Incorporated Appeal
Parties to Bluehaven Investments Limited Appeal
Decision documents
Staff Recommendations
Hearing and Post Documents
What is Proposed Change 6 (NPS-UD)?
The National Policy Statement-Urban Development (2020) (NPS-UD) introduced requirements for regional councils to amend their Regional Policy Statement to be more responsive to urban development proposals and provide support to intensification of urban areas. Their purpose is to enable additional development capacity, regardless of whether it is planned in existing planning documents, and to contribute to well-functioning urban environments. The NPS-UD also requires local authorities to take into account the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi (Te Tiriti o Waitangi) in planning decisions relating to urban environments.
The Bay of Plenty Regional Council is implementing these requirements through Change 6 (NPS-UD) to the Bay of Plenty Regional Policy Statement.
What is an ‘urban environment’?
‘Urban environments’ are defined by the NPS-UD. These are urban areas that have or are intended to be part of a housing and labour market of at least 10,000 people.
In the Bay of Plenty, urban environments are greater Tauranga (including Te Puke and Ōmokoroa), Rotorua city and Whakatāne township.
What is the scope of Change 6?
Under the NPS-UD we are required to:
- Take into account Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles
- Provide criteria for assessing private plan changes for unanticipated or out of sequence urban development proposals for urban environments
- Enable intensification of urban environments
What Change 6 doesn’t do:
It is not a spatial plan and doesn’t identify where (or not) urban development will be located. This is the role of a Future Development Strategy and district or city plans.
It doesn’t zone or provide infrastructure for urban development. This is the role of district/city councils through district plan zoning, and infrastructure planning and funding documents.
National Policy Statement on Urban Development (2020)
More information on the NPS-UD can be found on the Ministry for the Environment's website: National policy statement on urban development.
Key changes in Change 6 (NPS-UD)
New - Responsive planning policy – urban environments
Deleted - Urban limits in the western Bay of Plenty subregion
New - Increased density urban development – urban environments
Amended - Te Tiriti of Waitangi principles
Further submissions
Tabled and Supplementary Documents
Summary of Decisions Requested
Submissions
Proposed Change 6 (NPS-UD) notification
For more information on Proposed Change 6 (NPS-UD), please email RPSChange6@boprc.govt.nz or phone 0800 884 880.