First Look At The Proposed Replacement For The Resource Management Act

Reform or replacement of the Resource Management Act 1991 has been on the legislative agenda for some time. The Government announced in February 2021 that it intends to repeal the Resource Management Act 1991 and replace it with three new Acts:

• The Natural and Built Environments Act (NBA), which aims to protect and restore the environment while better enabling development, is the primary replacement for the RMA;
• The Strategic Planning Act (SPA), which aims to help coordinate and integrate decisions made under relevant legislation, by requiring the development of long-term regional spatial strategies; and
• The Climate Adaptation Act, which will address complex issues associated with managed retreat.