RMA reforms aim to accelerate housing and infrastructure
17 Dec 2025, Building & Housing, Govt Announcements, Industry News, Regulatory
The Government has introduced sweeping reform of New Zealand’s planning laws, promising faster and simpler processes for homeowners, builders and developers
The reforms, introduced to Parliament on 9 December, will replace the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) with a new system focused on unlocking housing growth and reducing red tape.
The new planning system is anchored in two new Bills – the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill. The Planning Bill sets out how land can be used and developed, while the Natural Environment Bill focuses on the sustainable use of natural resources and environmental protection.
RMA Reform and Housing Minister Chris Bishop said the current planning system is broken and is holding New Zealand back.
“For too long, the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) has acted as a handbrake on growth and opportunity. It is directly responsible for New Zealand’s housing crisis – despite us having a land mass comparable to the United Kingdom but just five million people,” he said.
Getting more for less
Under the new planning framework, more residential projects such as home renovations, additions or new builds will be allowed without the need for a resource consent. Where resource consents are required, the process is expected to be faster and cheaper, said Bishop.
“Our new planning system will deliver the most significant pro-housing reforms in a generation,” he said. “The changes will give homeowners more freedom, speed up building, and create clear and consistent rules across the country.”
Homeowners will face fewer barriers when undertaking projects such as building decks, garages or additional storeys. Nationally standardised rules and zones will apply across most of the country – setting uniform requirements for height, site coverage, noise and sunlight.
The system will also reduce the number of resource consent triggers. Projects that only affect an individual’s own property – such as the layout of buildings on site, balconies or private outdoor areas – will not require council approval. However, impacts like noise, shading or flood risk that affect neighbours or the wider area will still require a resource consent.
Landowners may also be eligible for “relief” if planning restrictions significantly impact how their land can be used. Relief mechanisms could include rate reductions, cash payments, no-fee consents or land swaps. These would apply in cases where land is affected by overlays for biodiversity, heritage, Māori sites or natural features.
To resolve disputes, a new Planning Tribunal will be established to provide quicker and less costly decisions than the current Environment Court process.
Sub-divisions made easier
For developers, land subdivision will be made easier under the new regime, with more types of subdivision permitted by default, provided key infrastructure and risk protections – such as for flooding – are in place.
Currently, there are 1,100 different zones across New Zealand. The reform will reduce the number of zones and create standardised rules for elements such as building height, site coverage and daylight access.
“This means developers can use the same designs anywhere in the country – no more juggling different rules for Upper Hutt versus Lower Hutt, or Christchurch versus Selwyn,” said Bishop. “It’s consistency where it counts, making development faster, easier, and more predictable.”
The public will have an opportunity to comment on the Bills during select committee hearings in early 2026. Transitional provisions include the extension of all existing RMA consents to mid-2031, with a new transitional system expected to start from mid-2026. The full new system is planned to be operational by 2029.
To read more about the RMA changes, head to the following sources:
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