RMA Reform: What the transitional consenting changes mean for development

New Zealand’s resource management system is entering a period of significant change.

The Planning Act 2026 and Natural Environment Act 2026 received Royal assent on 30 September 2026, beginning the transition towards a new planning framework. In the meantime, the RMA remains in place, subject to targeted amendments.

The new system is expected to be introduced progressively, with 2030 currently anticipated as the transition timeframe.

In this article, Damienne Donaldson, Principal Planner at Davis Ogilvie, addresses some of the biggest questions you might be wanting answered around the changes.

What is changing?

For district land use resource consent applications lodged from 30 October 2026, councils will be required to disregard specified effects when assessing applications under the amended RMA.

For residential development, the changes remove certain matters from consideration, including aspects of building and site layout, glazing, balconies and outdoor living space, internal layouts, unit size and landscaped areas. The treatment of landscaped areas retains an exception relating to permeability.

Other matters that councils must disregard include private views, effects on trade competition and retail distribution, a project’s lack of demand or financial viability, and the type of residents a development will accommodate.

The exclusions are subject to the specific legislative provisions and don’t override applicable historic heritage protections. They also do not mean that every aspect of a residential development’s design or every effect on neighbouring properties is excluded from assessment.

Does this mean a development will be permitted?

Not necessarily. The changes narrow the matters councils can consider in relevant consent assessments, but they do not automatically make a development a permitted activity or remove the need for resource consent.

District Plan requirements and other applicable controls will continue to be important. Depending on the site and proposal, these may include natural hazards and flooding, transport safety and access, infrastructure servicing, earthworks, and other environmental effects that remain within scope.

Understanding the site, its planning context and the applicable consent requirements will therefore remain an essential early step in determining the feasibility of a development.

A more practical consenting process

The amendments also introduce additional procedural principles for resource consent processing. These are intended to encourage councils to take practical steps to keep documents concise and understandable, obtain information that is necessary and proportionate to the scale of the issue, and support practical solutions.

The intention is to make consenting more focused and efficient, while retaining consideration of the effects and matters that remain relevant under the legislation.

Planning your next move?

RMA reform will change how New Zealand approaches land use planning and environmental management. However, understanding your site, its constraints and its development potential remains fundamental to making informed decisions.

At Davis Ogilvie, we work with landowners, developers and councils across planning, surveying and engineering to help turn development ideas into resilient solutions. Contact our team to help you understand the relevant requirements and identify the next steps.