Regional Policy Statement for the Wellington region

The Regional Policy Statement (RPS) sets out the framework and priorities for resource management in the Wellington region. The Resource Management Act 1991 (the Act) requires all regional councils to produce an RPS for their region and review it every 10 years.

A core purpose of the Act is “sustainable management of natural and physical resources”. In this context, sustainable management means development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Operative Regional Policy Statement

The second generation Regional Policy Statement for the Wellington region (RPS) was made operative on 24 April 2013. Copies of the RPS in full or in sections can be downloaded from the toolbar on the right.

The RPS identifies the regionally significant issues around the management of the regions natural and physical resources and sets out what needs to be achieved (objectives) and the way in which the objectives will be achieved (policies and methods). Regional and district plans and the Regional Land Transport Strategy are required to give effect to the policies 1-34 of the RPS, and to consider policy 35-60.

The RPS also sets out a series of methods that the Wellington Regional Council and its partners will undertake, and how the RPS will be monitored to see how the anticipated results of its policies are being achieved.

You can view information on the development of the operative RPS here and on the review of the old 1995 Regional Policy Statement here.

Information on programmes to implement the RPS can be found here.