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Resource Management Act 1991

Standards, policy statements, and plans - National direction - National policy statements

55: Local authority recognition of national policy statements

You could also call this:

"Councils must update their plans to match national rules"

Illustration for Resource Management Act 1991

When a national policy statement tells a local authority to make changes, you must make those changes to a document. A document can be a regional policy statement, a proposed regional policy statement, a proposed plan, a plan, or a variation. You have to make the changes to include what the national policy statement says.

If a national policy statement directs you to make changes, you must amend the document to include specific objectives and policies. You must also make sure the objectives and policies in the document match those in the statement. Sometimes, you need to make changes to make the document consistent with the statement.

You must make some amendments without using a process in the Schedule 1 and give public notice of the amendments within 5 working days. For other amendments, you must use a process in the Schedule 1. You have to make the amendments as soon as possible, or within a time specified in the national policy statement, or before a certain event happens.

You must also take any other action that the national policy statement tells you to take.

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This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM233372.

Topics:
Environment and resources > Town planningGovernment and voting > Local councils
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Part 5Standards, policy statements, and plans
National direction: National policy statements

55Local authority recognition of national policy statements

  1. In subsections (2) and (2A), document means—

  2. a regional policy statement; or
    1. a proposed regional policy statement; or
      1. a proposed plan; or
        1. a plan; or
          1. a variation.

            1. A local authority must amend a document, if a national policy statement directs so,—

            2. to include specific objectives and policies set out in the statement; or
              1. so that objectives and policies specified in the document give effect to objectives and policies specified in the statement; or
                1. if it is necessary to make the document consistent with any constraint or limit set out in the statement.

                  1. The local authority must—

                  2. make the amendments referred to in subsection (2) without using a process in Schedule 1; and
                    1. give public notice of the amendments within 5 working days after making them.

                      1. The local authority must also make all other amendments to a document that are required to give effect to any provision in a national policy statement that affects the document.

                      2. The local authority must make the amendments referred to in subsection (2B) using a process in Schedule 1.

                      3. In all cases, the local authority must make the amendments—

                      4. as soon as practicable; or
                        1. within the time specified in the national policy statement (if any); or
                          1. before the occurrence of an event specified in the national policy statement (if any).

                            1. A local authority must also take any other action that is directed by the national policy statement.

                            2. Repealed
                            Notes
                            • Section 55: replaced, on , by section 23 of the Resource Management Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 23).
                            • Section 55(1): replaced, on , by section 35 of the Resource Management Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 87).
                            • Section 55(2): replaced, on , by section 53 of the Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining) Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 31).
                            • Section 55(2)(b): amended, on , by section 45(1) of the Resource Legislation Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 15).
                            • Section 55(2)(c): inserted, on , by section 45(2) of the Resource Legislation Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 15).
                            • Section 55(2A): replaced, on , by section 53 of the Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining) Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 31).
                            • Section 55(2A)(a): amended, on , by section 14 of the Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 41).
                            • Section 55(2B): inserted, on , by section 53 of the Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining) Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 31).
                            • Section 55(2C): inserted, on , by section 53 of the Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining) Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 31).
                            • Section 55(2C): amended, on , by section 14 of the Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 41).
                            • Section 55(2D): inserted, on , by section 53 of the Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining) Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 31).
                            • Section 55(3): amended, on , by section 45(3) of the Resource Legislation Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 15).
                            • Section 55(4): repealed, on , by section 45(4) of the Resource Legislation Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 15).