What are Regional Plans?

Greater Wellington's five regional plans - air quality management, freshwater, discharges to land, soil and, coastal

Air, water, coasts, soils, biodiversity, natural character and heritage – these physical and natural resources are vital for our wellbeing and our way of life. 

As a regional council, it’s Greater Wellington’s role to look after the environment. We currently do this through the five regional plans above that manage how our physical and natural resources are used and protected.

On 31 July the Proposed Natural Resources Plan for the Wellington Region was publicly notified. Submissions on the new plan closed on the 25th of September 2015.

The opportunity to make a Further submission will be available from 26 February 2016

To find out more information click here.

How do Regional Plans work?

Regional plans assist the regional council in carrying out its functions under the Resource Management Act, which is to sustainably manage the physical and natural resources in the region. A regional council must prepare a regional coastal plan (applying below mean high water springs) but other regional plans are optional.

Regional plans must give effect to the Resource Management Act ,  National Policy Statements and the Regional Policy Statement. They must also not be inconsistent with water conservation orders and, Ministry of Fisheries determinations on aquaculture. When preparing a regional plan a regional council must also take into account relevant planning documents recognised by iwi authorities and lodged with the council as well as management plans prepared for foreshore and seabed reserves within the region.

What Regional Plans does Greater Wellington currently have?

As well as the proposed Natural Resources Plan, Greater Wellington has  five operative regional plans: Regional Coastal Plan, a Regional Freshwater Plan, a Regional Soil Plan, a Regional Air Quality Management Plan and a Regional Plan for Discharges to Land.

Regional policy statements must also be prepared for each region. They enable regional councils to provide broad direction and a framework for resource management within their regions. Greater Wellington released its second Regional Policy Statement in April 2013.

Regional Coastal Plan

The Regional Coastal Plan applies to the coastal marine area of the Wellington region. The coastal marine area is the foreshore, seabed and coastal water, and the air space above the water, between the outer limits of the territorial sea and the line of mean high water springs.

The Plan identifies issues to be addressed so that the coastal marine area can be sustainably managed. Objectives, policies and methods (including rules) have been adopted to address these issues. For more information see the Regional Coastal Plan page

Regional Freshwater Plan

The Regional Freshwater Plan applies to all fresh water in the Wellington region, including water in rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, aquifers (groundwater) and artificial water courses, but excluding freshwater in the coastal marine area. It also applies to all land in river and lake beds.

The Plan identifies issues to be addressed so that fresh water resources can be sustainably managed. Objectives, policies, and methods (including rules) have been adopted to address these issues. For more information see the Regional Freshwater Plan page.

Regional Soil Plan

The Regional Soil Plan applies to the whole of the Wellington region, except the coastal marine area. It identifies issues to be addressed so that the effects of soil disturbance and vegetation clearance can be sustainably managed. Objectives, policies, and methods (including rules) have been adopted to address these issues. See the Regional Soil Plan page.

Regional Air Quality Management Plan

The Regional Air Quality Management Plan applies to discharges to air in the whole of the Wellington region, except for the coastal marine area. Discharges to air in the coastal marine are covered in the Regional Coastal Plan.

The Plan identifies issues to be addressed so that air can be sustainably managed. Objectives, policies, and methods (including rules) have been adopted to address these issues. See the Regional Air Quality Management Plan page.

Regional Plan for Discharges to Land

The Regional Plan for Discharges to Land applies to the whole of the Wellington region, except the coastal marine area. It identifies issues to be addressed so that the receiving environment for discharges to land can be sustainably managed. Objectives, policies, and methods (including rules)