- Hon Chris Bishop
The Government has completed the biggest overhaul of national direction in the history of the Resource Management Act - with the final changes making it faster, easier and more affordable to build and upgrade New Zealand's electricity and telecommunications networks, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop says.
"Over the past two years the Government has developed or amended 16 national direction instruments to remove unnecessary barriers to housing, infrastructure, energy and the primary sector," Mr Bishop says.
"The final two are the National Environmental Standards for Electricity Network Activities and Telecommunication Facilities, which will replace outdated and inconsistent planning requirements with clearer, nationally consistent rules from today.
"National environmental standards set the rules for how particular activities are treated under the RMA, including when straightforward work can go ahead without needing a resource consent.
"Across the programme we have changed standards where they have been getting in the way of things New Zealand actually needs to do. Requiring a consent for routine or low-impact work costs money, takes time and can delay investment without necessarily delivering a better environmental outcome.
"The national direction programme has been designed as a bridge during the transition between outgoing resource management laws and the Government's replacement planning system, the Planning Act and Natural Environment Act, while national instruments are developed.
"We are already consulting on illustrative National Policy Direction for the new system, which shows how the Government intends to set clear national priorities for housing and development, infrastructure, primary production, resources and important public and environmental values."
Easier to build and upgrade electricity networks
The new National Environmental Standards for Electricity Network Activities (NES-ENA) significantly expand the existing national rules for electricity infrastructure.
The previous standards dated from 2009 and principally cover the national transmission grid. Electricity distribution networks - the local lines, poles and other infrastructure that carry power to homes and businesses - have largely been subject to different rules in different council plans.
The new standards bring transmission and distribution networks under a more consistent national framework and provide clearer rules for routine maintenance and upgrades, new distribution assets, protection of electricity networks from incompatible development, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
"For a lines company, this can mean being able to replace or upgrade existing infrastructure, carry out earthworks or vegetation clearance associated with maintenance, and improve the resilience of its network without unnecessarily having to start a bespoke consenting process every time," Mr Bishop says.
"It will be faster and less costly to strengthen the networks that keep the lights on, connect new homes and businesses and accommodate growing electricity demand.
"The standards will also introduce nationally consistent protections around electricity infrastructure to reduce problems caused when new development is built too close to important network assets.
"Transpower has previously spent around $14 million seeking protection for the National Grid corridor council by council. A nationally consistent approach means we do not need to keep reinventing the wheel across dozens of individual plans."
Planning rules that keep pace with telecommunications technology
"The changes to the National Environmental Standards for Telecommunication Facilities (NES-TF) address a different problem: technology has moved faster than the planning rules," Mr Bishop says.
"The previous standards were introduced in 2016, but no longer adequately provide for equipment needed for modern telecommunications networks.
"As a result, telecommunications companies can currently find themselves needing resource consent for relatively minor upgrades simply because modern equipment does not fit within rules written for an earlier generation of technology.
"The new standards allow larger antennas and cabinets where appropriate, make it easier to install new poles in suitable locations, and better provide for the continued rollout of technology such as 5G.
"Larger cabinets can accommodate more back-up battery capacity, temporary telecommunications facilities can be deployed during emergencies or maintenance, and small-scale renewable generation can help power facilities in remote rural areas.
"The standards will also make it easier to improve rural connectivity, including through taller telecommunications poles in rural areas where terrain, trees and shelter belts can otherwise create coverage blackspots, and provide clearer pathways for connecting fibre to heritage buildings.
"Officials estimate these reforms could save between $40 million and $50 million in planning and consenting costs over the next decade."
Note to editors:
- The changes to the NES-ENA and NES-TF were informed by public consultation in 2025 and feedback from local government, iwi authorities, infrastructure providers, industry groups, environmental organisations and other users of the resource management system.
- National policy statements direct how councils and decision-makers approach particular issues, while national environmental standards can set nationally consistent rules and consenting requirements for activities.
- The programme of changes has resulted in new national direction for:
- detached minor residential units (also known as granny flats)
- natural hazards
- infrastructure
- papakāinga.
- Existing national direction has also been amended for:
- highly productive land
- the coastal environment
- indigenous biodiversity
- freshwater as it relates to quarrying and mining
- renewable electricity generation
- electricity networks
- electric vehicle charging
- stock exclusion
- marine aquaculture
- commercial forestry
- electricity network activities
- telecommunication facilities.
