Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Resource Management Act 1991

Standards, policy statements, and plans - Miscellaneous matters

84: Local authorities to observe their own policy statements and plans

You could also call this:

“Local councils must follow and make sure others follow their own rules and plans”

When a policy statement or plan is in effect, you need to know that the regional council or territorial authority responsible for it, as well as any consent authority, must follow it. They also have to make sure others follow it as much as they can.

If someone tries to give a resource consent, or if they try to ignore or change the policy statement or plan in any way, it won’t be allowed unless the law says it’s okay. This means that no one can go against the policy statement or plan without permission from the law.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM233830.

Topics:
Environment and resources > Town planning
Government and voting > Local councils
Previous

83: Procedural requirements deemed to be observed, or

“Rules for making plans are considered followed unless someone proves otherwise in court”

Next

85: Environment Court may give directions in respect of land subject to controls, or

“ The court can tell people to change land rules if they are too strict and unfair for landowners. ”

Part 5 Standards, policy statements, and plans
Miscellaneous matters

84Local authorities to observe their own policy statements and plans

  1. While a policy statement or a plan is operative, the regional council or territorial authority concerned, and every consent authority, shall observe and, to the extent of its authority, enforce the observance of the policy statement or plan.

  2. No purported grant of a resource consent, and no waiver or sufferance or departure from a policy statement or plan, whether written or otherwise, shall, unless authorised by this Act, have effect in so far as it is contrary to subsection (1).