The Ministry for the Environment has released the first engagement draft of the transitional National Planning Framework, and we have heard some confusion over what this means. This document is still at a pre-notification stage. It is publicly available to view, but it is not open for public submission. The public submission process, via a Board of Inquiry, is expected in April next year.
This release has occurred in accordance with the pre notification engagement requirement under the Natural and Built Environments Act (NBEA). The Act requires the Minister responsible (when developing the NPF) to engage with:
Consultation on this draft version of the NPF is therefore focused on these parties.
The NBEA also states that the Minister responsible may, when developing an NPF proposal, engage with any other person that the responsible Minister considers appropriate before public notification of the proposal. NZPI has not received an invitation but is pursuing opportunities to be involved.
The draft transitional NPF can be found here:
Update from the Ministry for the Environment on the National Planning Framework (NPF)
The NPF, secondary legislation under the NBA, is an essential part of the new RM system. Te Manatū mō te Taiao (the Ministry for the Environment) has been working alongside the Parliamentary Council Office to prepare a pre-notification engagement draft of the transitional NPF proposal to receive feedback from local government and Māori partners. The first version of the NPF, known as the transitional NPF, is the initial step in delivering national direction for the new resource management system. It brings together existing and new national direction into one integrated framework to inform and support regional decision-makers in the development of the first Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS). Subsequent amendments to the NPF will be made in time to inform the development of the first Natural and Built Environment (NBE) plans. |
