Heritage Protection and Challenges

The protection of New Zealand's historic heritage from inappropriate subdivision use and development is a matter of national importance. Protecting our historic heritage is important for our identity and for our economic, social, and cultural wellbeing as well as future generations.

Protecting our historic heritage can be challenging and may require active stewardship often in the face of limited resources. However, New Zealand also faces other challenges, including threats from natural hazards such as earthquakes and climate change. There is also a need to provide affordable housing, and land for business uses. These challenges can sometimes be at odds with heritage protection given the development aspirations of landowners and the costs of remedial works.

We will cover what mechanisms are available to protect historic heritage places, and the challenges associated with those mechanisms including where a landowner neglects to maintain a historic heritage place. We will also consider issues that arise under the National Policy Statement for Urban Development 2020 – updated May 22 in relation to historic heritage protection. Finally, we will look at the interrelationship between the need to protect heritage values, and the need to respond to risks arising from natural hazards, including natural disasters such as earthquakes and climate change.