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Resource Management Act 1991

Duties and restrictions under this Act - Coastal marine area

12: Restrictions on use of coastal marine area

You could also call this:

“This law explains what you can and can't do in areas near the sea without special permission.”

You can’t do certain things in the coastal marine area without permission. This area includes the foreshore and seabed. Here’s what you’re not allowed to do:

You can’t reclaim or drain any part of the foreshore or seabed. You also can’t build, change, or remove structures there. You’re not allowed to disturb the foreshore or seabed in ways that might harm it, except when you’re legally collecting plants or animals.

You can’t put things in or on the foreshore or seabed that might harm it. You’re not allowed to damage plants, animals, or their homes in this area. You can’t plant new types of plants there either.

You’re not allowed to damage anything in the area that has historical importance. You can’t take up space in the common marine and coastal area or remove sand, shells, or other natural materials from there.

You can’t do anything in the coastal marine area that goes against the rules set by the government or your local council. There are some exceptions if you have special permission or if your activity was already allowed before the rules changed.

These rules also apply to flying aircraft over the area, but only when it comes to noise from airports in the coastal marine area. The government or your local council sets these noise rules.

There are a couple of other laws that deal with specific issues in the coastal marine area. These rules don’t stop the local council from removing structures from the common marine and coastal area if they’re following the right process.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM231949.

Topics:
Environment and resources > Conservation
Environment and resources > Town planning
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Part 3 Duties and restrictions under this Act
Coastal marine area

12Restrictions on use of coastal marine area

  1. No person may, in the coastal marine area,—

  2. reclaim or drain any foreshore or seabed; or
    1. erect, reconstruct, place, alter, extend, remove, or demolish any structure or any part of a structure that is fixed in, on, under, or over any foreshore or seabed; or
      1. disturb any foreshore or seabed (including by excavating, drilling, or tunnelling) in a manner that has or is likely to have an adverse effect on the foreshore or seabed (other than for the purpose of lawfully harvesting any plant or animal); or
        1. deposit in, on, or under any foreshore or seabed any substance in a manner that has or is likely to have an adverse effect on the foreshore or seabed; or
          1. destroy, damage, or disturb any foreshore or seabed (other than for the purpose of lawfully harvesting any plant or animal) in a manner that has or is likely to have an adverse effect on plants or animals or their habitat; or
            1. introduce or plant any exotic or introduced plant in, on, or under the foreshore or seabed; or
              1. destroy, damage, or disturb any foreshore or seabed (other than for the purpose of lawfully harvesting any plant or animal) in a manner that has or is likely to have an adverse effect on historic heritage—
                  1. unless expressly allowed by a national environmental standard, a rule in a regional coastal plan as well as a rule in a proposed regional coastal plan for the same region (if there is one), or a resource consent.

                1. No person may, unless expressly allowed by a national environmental standard, a rule in a regional coastal plan or in any proposed regional coastal plan for the same region, or a resource consent,—

                2. occupy any part of the common marine and coastal area; or
                  1. remove any sand, shingle, shell, or other natural material from that area.

                    1. Without limiting subsection (1), no person may carry out any activity—

                    2. in, on, under, or over any coastal marine area; or
                      1. in relation to any natural and physical resources contained within any coastal marine area,—
                          1. in a manner that contravenes a national environmental standard, a rule in a regional coastal plan, or a rule in a proposed regional coastal plan for the same region (if there is one) unless the activity is expressly allowed by a resource consent or allowed by section 20A (certain existing lawful activities allowed).

                        1. In this Act,—

                          1. remove any sand, shingle, shell, or other natural material means to take any of that material in such quantities or in such circumstances that, but for the national environmental standard or the rule in the regional coastal plan or the holding of a resource consent, a licence or profit à prendre to do so would be necessary.

                            1. This section applies to overflying by aircraft only to the extent to which noise emission controls for airports within the coastal marine area have been prescribed by a national environmental standard or set by a regional council.

                            2. This section shall not apply to anything to which section 15A or 15B applies.

                            3. This section does not prohibit a regional council from removing structures from the common marine and coastal area, in accordance with the requirements of section 19(3) to (3C) of the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011, unless those structures are permitted by a coastal permit.

                            Notes
                            • Section 12(1): amended, on , by section 12(1) of the Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining) Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 31).
                            • Section 12(1): amended, on , by section 10(1)(a) of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1993 (1993 No 65).
                            • Section 12(1): amended, on , by section 10(1)(b) of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1993 (1993 No 65).
                            • Section 12(1)(f): amended, on , by section 6 of the Resource Management Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 23).
                            • Section 12(1)(g): inserted, on , by section 6 of the Resource Management Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 23).
                            • Section 12(2): replaced, on , by section 128 of the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 (2011 No 3).
                            • Section 12(3): amended, on , by section 12(3) of the Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining) Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 31).
                            • Section 12(3): amended, on , by section 95 of the Resource Management Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 23).
                            • Section 12(4): amended, on , by section 4(2) of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1997 (1997 No 104).
                            • Section 12(4): amended, on , by section 10(3) of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1993 (1993 No 65).
                            • Section 12(4)(a): repealed, on , by section 5 of the Resource Management Amendment Act (No 2) 2004 (2004 No 103).
                            • Section 12(4)(b): amended, on , by section 12(4) of the Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining) Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 31).
                            • Section 12(4)(b): amended, on , by section 10(5) of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1993 (1993 No 65).
                            • Section 12(5): replaced, on , by section 12(5) of the Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining) Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 31).
                            • Section 12(6): inserted, on , by section 4 of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1994 (1994 No 105).
                            • Section 12(6): amended, on , by section 4(4) of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1997 (1997 No 104).
                            • Section 12(7): inserted, on , by section 7 of the Resource Legislation Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 15).