Hearing Stream Two - Objectives and Ecosystem health policies.
Key Information
Hearing Stream 2 addresses the proposed objectives and policies for ecosystem health and water quality in Plan Change 1 to the Natural Resources Plan (Plan Change 1).
Hearing Stream 2 will run from 7 April to 17 April at the Wellington Regional Council office at 100 Cuba St, Te Aro.
This page will be updated regularly as documents become available and details are finalised, including the link to the Hearing Stream schedule and the link to listen to the proceedings live.
Hearing Panels
Throughout the hearings process, the Panels release directions on procedures, dates and evidence deadlines through Minutes. It is essential that all parties attending a hearing have read and understood these Minutes.
Further Assistance
For any questions about Plan Change 1 not covered by our website content, please contact our team at regionalplan@gw.govt.nz.
If you have questions regarding how to present a submission at a hearing, please email our independent Friend of the Submitter at friend.of.submitter@gw.govt.nz.
Hearing Stream Schedule
Hearing Stream 2 ended on 15 April 2025
Hearing Dates
| Notice of Hearing | 4pm, 28th of February, 2025 |
| Submitter Evidence | 4pm, 14th March, 2025 |
| Rebuttal Evidence | 4pm, 28th of March, 2025 |
| Hearing | From 7th April, 2025 to 17th April, 2025 |
Hearing Venue
Greater Wellington Regional Council - Council Chamber (G-12: Taumata Kōrero)
Backup Venue - Naumi Hotel (10 Dunlop Street Wellington 6011)
Reporting Topics and Provisions
| Change 1 Provision |
| 8.1 Objectives |
| 9.1 Objectives |
| Amendments to Chapter 3 - Objectives |
| Coastal water management units |
| Environmental outcomes |
| General comments - target attribute states |
| Harbour arm catchments |
| Limit |
| Map 78: Part freshwater management units and target attribute state sites (rivers) – Te Awarua-o-Porirua. |
| Map 79: Part freshwater management units and target attribute state sites (rivers) – Te Whanganui-a-Tara. |
| Map 80: Part freshwater management units and target attribute state sites (lakes) – Te Whanganui-a-Tara. |
| Map 82: Coastal water management units – Te Awarua-o-Porirua. |
| Map 83: Coastal water management units – Te Whanganui-a-Tara. |
| Map 84: Harbour arm catchments – Te Awarua-o-Porirua. |
| Map 85: Primary contact sites – Te Whanganui-a-Tara. |
| Objective O17 |
| Objective O18: Rivers, lakes, natural wetlands and coastal water are suitable for contact recreation and Māori customary use. |
| Objective O19: Biodiversity, aquatic ecosystem health and mahinga kai in fresh water bodies and the coastal marine area are safeguarded. |
| Objective O2 |
| Objective O20 |
| Objective O25: Outstanding water bodies identified in Schedule A (outstanding water bodies) and their significant values are protected and restored. |
| Objective O28: Ecosystems and habitats with significant indigenous biodiversity values are protected from the adverse effects of use and development, and where appropriate restored to a healthy functioning state including as defined by Tables 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7 and 3.8. |
| Objective O34 |
| Objective O35 |
| Objective O36 |
| Objective O37 |
| Objective O38 |
| Objective O5 |
| Objective O6 |
| Objective P.O1: The health of Te Awarua-o-Porirua’s groundwater, rivers, lakes, natural wetlands, estuaries, harbours and coastal marine area is progressively improved and is wai ora by 2100. |
| Objective P.O2: Te Awarua-o-Porirua’s groundwater, rivers, lakes and natural wetlands, and their margins are on a trajectory of measurable improvement towards wai ora. |
| Objective P.O3: The health and wellbeing of coastal water quality, ecosystems and habitats in Pāuatahanui Inlet, Onepoto Arm and the open coastal areas of Te Awarua-o-Porirua is maintained or improved to achieve the coastal water objectives set out in Table 9.1. |
| Objective P.O5: Groundwater flows and levels, and water quality, are maintained. |
| Objective P.O6: Water quality, habitats, water quantity and ecological processes of rivers are maintained or improved. |
| Objective WH.O1: The health of all freshwater bodies and the coastal marine area within Whaitua Te Whanganui-a-Tara is progressively improved and is wai ora by 2100. |
| Objective WH.O2: The health and wellbeing of Te Whanganui-a-Tara’s groundwater, rivers and natural wetlands and their margins are on a trajectory of measurable improvement towards wai ora. |
| Objective WH.O3: The health and wellbeing of coastal water quality, ecosystems and habitats in Te Whanganui-a-Tara is maintained or improved to achieve the coastal water objectives set out in Table 8.1. |
| Objective WH.O5: By 2040 the health and wellbeing of the Parangarahu Lakes and associated natural wetlands are on a trajectory of improvement towards wai ora. |
| Objective WH.O6: Groundwater flows and levels, and water quality, are maintained. |
| Objective WH.O7: The physical integrity of aquitards is protected so that confined aquifer pressures are maintained. |
| Objective WH.O8: Primary contact sites within Te Awa Kairangi/Hutt River, Pākuratahi River, Akatarawa River and Wainuiomata River are suitable for primary contact. |
| Objective WH.O9: Water quality, habitats, water quantity and ecological processes of rivers are maintained or improved. |
| Part Freshwater Management Unit |
| Primary contact sites |
| Table 3.1 Primary contact recreation and Māori customary use objectives in freshwater bodies. |
| Table 3.2 Secondary contact and Māori customary use recreation objectives in freshwater bodies. |
| Table 3.3 Contact recreation and Māori customary use objectives in coastal water. |
| Table 3.4 Rivers and Streams. |
| Table 3.5 Lakes. |
| Table 3.6 Groundwater. |
| Table 3.7 Natural wetlands. |
| Table 3.8 Coastal waters. |
| Table 8.1 Coastal water objectives. |
| Table 8.2 Target attribute states for lakes. |
| Table 8.3 Primary contact site objectives in rivers. |
| Table 8.4: Target attribute states for rivers. |
| Table 9.1: Coastal water objectives. |
| Table 9.2: Target attribute states for rivers. |
| Whaitua |
| Change 1 Provision |
| Policy P45: Protecting trout habitat. |
| 4.6 Biodiversity, aquatic ecosystem health and mahinga kai. |
| Policy P30: Biodiversity, aquatic ecosystem health and mahinga kai. |
| Policy P36: Restoring Wairarapa Moana |
| Policy P65: National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management requirements for discharge consents. |
| Policy P77: Improving water quality for contact recreation and Māori customary use. |
| Policy WH.P1: Improvement of aquatic ecosystem health. |
| Policy WH.P2 Management of activities to achieve target attribute states and coastal water objectives. |
| Policy WH.P4: Achievement of the visual clarity target attribute states. |
| Table 8.5: Sediment load reductions required to achieve the visual clarity target attribute states. |
| Policy P.P1: Improvement of aquatic ecosystem health. |
| Policy P.P2: Management of activities to achieve target attribute states and coastal water objectives. |
| Policy P.P4: Contaminant load reductions. |
| Table 9.3: Harbour arm catchment contaminant load reductions. |
| Table 9.4: Part Freshwater Management Unit sediment load reductions required to achieve the visual clarity target attribute state. |
Key Hearing Documents
S42A Report - Objectives
S42A Report - Ecosystem Health and Water Quality Policies
Supporting Documents
| Document Title | Date Published |
| 28/02/2025 | |
| List of abbreviated terms and submitter names updated as of 28 Feb 2025 (PDF 121 KB) | 28/02/2025 |
| Notice of Hearing – Hearing Stream 2 – Proposed Change 1 to the Natural Resources Plan (PDF 253 KB) | 28/02/2025 |
Technical Evidence
Guide to reading s42A technical evidence for PC1 HS2 (PDF 79 KB)
Legal Submissions
There are no legal submissions associated with this hearing
Response to Information Requests
|
Document Title |
Date Published |
| HS2 GWRC Response to information request - Economics Mr David Walker | 11/03/2025 |
Presentations
Materials that arose during hearing
| Document Title | Date Published |
|
Hearing Stream 2 - Day 1a transcript (07/04/2025) (PDF 159 KB)
|
17/04/2025 |
|
Hearing Stream 2 - Day 1b transcript (07/04/2025) (PDF 615 KB) |
17/04/2025 |
|
Hearing Stream 2 - Day 2 transcript (08/04/2025) (PDF 687 KB) |
17/04/2025 |
|
Hearing Stream 2 - Day 3 transcript (09/04/2025) (PDF 856 KB) |
17/04/2025 |
|
Hearing Stream 2 - Day 4 transcript (10/04/2025) (PDF 710 KB) |
17/04/2025 |
|
Hearing Stream 2 - Day 5 transcript (11/04/2025) (PDF 734 KB) |
21/04/2025 |
|
Hearing Stream 2 - Day 6 transcript (15/04/2025) (PDF 639 KB) |
22/04/2025 |
Get in touch
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- 0800 496 734
- Email:
- info@gw.govt.nz