Property Institute supports RMA reforms

Property Institute of New Zealand Chief Executive, Ashley Church, has applauded Government plans to overhaul the Resource Management Act (RMA) but says that the changes being proposed don't go far enough to quickly resolve the Auckland housing crisis.

The Government has released a 180-page Resource Legislation Amendment Bill which comprises 40 changes to the Resource Management Act 1991, the Reserves Act 1977, the Public Works Act 1981, the Conservation Act 1987, the Environmental Protection Authority Act 2011, and the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act 2012.

These include:

* National planning templates which will standardise planning guidelines around the country - eliminating the need for each Council to produce its own

* Simplified consenting for minor works and a new '10 Day Fast Track' consent process

* A requirement on Councils to develop 'fixed fees' for consents - so that homeowners know, upfront, what a consent will cost

* Abolition of the need for consents for activities which are already regulated by other Acts

* Changes to the Public Works Act in favour of faster and simpler compensation for people who are affected by compulsory acquisitions

Mr Church says that some of these changes will make an enormous difference to existing home owners and could significantly reduce time and costs - but he says they will do little to accelerate the rate of construction of new dwellings.

"These changes will be great for people wanting to build a deck or move a fence - but they're not going to lead to a big jump in house building in Auckland".

Mr Church says that he would have liked to have seen a clearer lead around the extent to which Councils should be required to open up new land for development, a reduction in the rules and costs associated with residential subdivisions, and the adoption of some of the ideas recently recommended by Labour - such as targeted rate funding as a way to reduce the upfront costs of residential infrastructure on new home builders.

"Nick Smith has made a great start - but more imagination and collaboration is needed if we're going to see a big increase in new home construction".

ENDS

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