Regional Policy Statement (Operative and Proposed)

The Resource Management Act 1991 requires all regional councils to produce a regional policy statement for their region and then review it every 10 years to promote the purpose of the Act. 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

The Regional Policy Statement 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).Both regional and district plans are required to give effect to the Regional Policy Statement.

If you would like to read the operative Regional Policy Statement for the Wellington region, 1995, click on the following link:

Regional Policy Statement for the Wellington region, 1995 (PDF, 1.6 MB)

Proposed Regional Policy Statement

Greater Wellington has developed a proposed  Regional Policy Statement which will replace the existing Regional Policy Statement. The proposed Regional Policy Statement was developed following a lengthy review of the existing document and significant work in collaboration with the other councils in the Wellington region. The proposed regional Policy statement also needs to be given regard by regional and district plans and when resource consents are processed.

Decisions and appeals update

Submissions on the proposed Regional Policy Statement closed on 25 May 2009. On 11 July 2009 Greater Wellington publicly notified the summary of submissions received and on 8 August further submissions closed. Hearings for the Proposed Regional Policy Statement ran between 3 and 16 November. Decisions on submissions were approved by the Wellington Regional Council on 18 May 2010 and publicly notifed on 22 May 2010.

The proposed Regional Polciy Statement including changes as a result of decisions can be downloaded here.

proposed Regional Policy Statement including changes as a result of decisions

Full copies of the two volume decisions report can be downloaded by clicking on the links below.

Regional Policy Statement Collated Decision Report
Regional Policy Statement Collated Decision Report Volume 2 (Chapter 2.94 onwards)

The Council decision has been appealed. The Council is currently in the process of resolving these appeals.

Original documents

Download the complete proposed Regional Policy Statement 2009.

Copies of any of the documents relating to the Regional Policy Statement review can also be obtained from Greater Wellington.

Regional Policy Statement Implementation - Historic Heritage

Historic Heritage

Method 20 of the Proposed Regional Policy Statement states that Greater Wellington will develop information to assist with the indentification of places, sites and area with significant historic heritage.

A guide to historic heritage identification aims to help people understand the different types of historic heritage values associated with places, sites and area. The guide contains criteria for assessing historic heritage values and the significance of places in a regionally consistent way and in a common language that everyone can understand and use. The criteria are designed to be used by local authorities, community groups and others to evaluate the significance of historic heritage places, sites and areas in accordance with policy 20 of the proposed Regional Policy Statement.

A copy of the guide to historic heritage identification can be downloaded by clicking on the link below.

Guide to historic heritage identification

Regional Policy Statement Implentation - Landscape

The Wellington Region Landscape Atlas was developed to support local authority initiatives associated with implenting the proposed Regional Policy Statement policies 24 (Identifying outstanding natural features and landscapes) and 26 (Identifying significant amenity landcape values) and method 49 (Prepare a regional landscape character description).

Regional landscape character description studies have been produced for the Wairarapa and Hutt Valley. These landscape descriptions describe and categorise the landscapes to assist with identifying outstanding natural features and significant amenity landscapes.

Full copies of the landscape character descriptions can be downloaded by clicking on the links below.

Wairarapa Landscape Character Description Study 2010

Hutt Landscape Character Description Study 2010

Copies of any of the documents relating to the Regional Policy Statement review can also be obtained from Greater Wellington. Please contact the publications officer on 04 801 1094.