- What the Government Announced
On 16 July 2025, the Hon. Chris Bishop, Minister for RMA Reform, announced the Government will suspend most plan-making under the RMA. In an amendment to the Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Bill, Councils will be required to:
- Cease work on plan changes and reviews that have not reached the hearings stage within 5 days of the law coming into force and withdraw them within 90 days of enactment
- Suspend reviews of district and regional plans and policy statements
- Pause implementing national planning standards
- Not notify new freshwater planning instruments until 31 December 2027.
Councils can seek ministerial exemption for plan changes that address housing, intensification, Treaty settlement obligations or natural hazard management. Private plan changes, streamlined planning processes, and natural hazard plans are automatically exempt.
- The Government’s Reasons for Plan Stopping
Minister Bishop explains that much of the ongoing work councils are undertaking would likely become obsolete or require major rework once the new planning system comes into force in 2027. The pause intends to shift Councils’ focus to preparing for the new systems and avoid wasted time and ratepayer expense.
- Our Reactions
The proposed plan‑stop policy is a bold strategic pause in plan making, justified on the grounds of efficiency, cost‑savings, and the impending overhaul of the planning and environment system. By suspending plan‑making under the RMA now, the intention is to avoid wasted effort ahead of the new planning systems promised by 2027.Yet the decision will likely disrupt many Council plan processes and could:
- Jeopardise the significant public and private investment made in those processes
- Lead to delays delivering urgently needed housing and infrastructure projects due to the need to wait for the new legislation and subsequently for ministerial approval.
- Be a major concern to those in the community that support those plan processes.
- Amplify uncertainty in delivering new development and environmental protection.
The plan-stop policy does not appear to consider the likelihood that the new plans under the new systems may several years to be established, thereby creating a lost opportunity to complete plan changes that would have benefits during this time.
Making significant decisions based on Government announcements can also be fraught as the Government policy may change before being introduced or change through the legislative process. With the 2026 elections looming and the Government behind in the polls, it may also pull back from controversial legislation. Further, if Labour is elected, they may repeal any new legislation and introduce a new resource management system, which will increase the period of benefit that any plan changes or reviews currently in the process would have.
- What Comes Next
The next things to watch out for are the Amendment Bill receiving Royal Assent (before the end of 2025) and further guidance on exemption criteria and process timing.
- What to do
Now is the time for Councils to reconsider priorities and they should ask themselves:
- What work can be paused?
- What work aligns with exemptions and can safely continue?
- What work can be refocused to align with the exemptions?
- What background work can be done to inform a possible new RM system?
If Council’s have significantly progressed a district plan review, they should closely consider whether they box on and perhaps expediate the hearings to avoid the possible plan stop requirements or stop and focus on a plan change that has the prospect of being exempt.
Councils should also submit on the Amendment Bill to ensure it meets their expectations.
If you’re a developer, now is the time to progress that private plan change as Councils should have increased capacity to process in a timely manner.
- Need Help?
Perspective Consulting are experts in resource management policy, plan changes and preparing submissions on national legislation for Councils and developers. Call us today on 027 948 65 75.
