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58C: Scope and contents of national planning standards
or “National planning standards explain rules for creating and organising plans about how to use land and water in New Zealand.”

You could also call this:

“Rules for making national plans that everyone can understand and follow”

When the Minister decides to make a national planning standard, they must follow the rules in this section and in sections 58E to 58K.

When creating or changing a national planning standard, the Minister can think about several things. They can consider if it’s good to have the same rules across the country for a resource management issue. They can also think about whether the standard helps with other environmental rules and policies. The Minister can decide if the standard should allow for different local situations, and if so, how much. They can also choose if the standard should only apply to certain areas instead of the whole country. The Minister can think about any other important things related to the purpose of the national planning standard.

Before the Minister approves a national planning standard, they need to do a few things. First, they must write a draft of the standard. Then, they need to prepare a report that looks at how good the standard is, following the rules in section 32. The Minister must think carefully about this report before deciding to show the draft to the public. After that, they need to let the public know about the draft. Finally, the Minister must set up a way for people, local councils, and iwi authorities to give their opinions on the draft. This process should give everyone enough time to share their thoughts. The Minister also needs to make sure they get a report with recommendations about what people said and what the draft is about.

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Next up: 58E: Approval of national planning standard

or “The Minister checks reports, makes changes if needed, and decides whether to approve or withdraw the planning rules.”

Part 5 Standards, policy statements, and plans
National direction: National planning standards

58DPreparation of national planning standards

  1. If the Minister decides to prepare a national planning standard, the Minister must prepare it in accordance with this section and sections 58E to 58K.

  2. In preparing or amending a national planning standard, the Minister may have regard to—

  3. whether it is desirable to have national consistency in relation to a resource management issue:
    1. whether the national planning standard supports the implementation of national environmental standards, national policy statements, a New Zealand coastal policy statement, or regulations made under this Act:
      1. whether the national planning standard should allow for local circumstances and, if so, to what extent:
        1. whether it is appropriate for the national planning standard to apply to a specified district, region, or other parts of New Zealand rather than nationally:
          1. any other matter that is relevant to the purpose of the national planning standard.
            1. Before approving a national planning standard, the Minister must—

            2. prepare a draft national planning standard; and
              1. prepare an evaluation report in accordance with section 32 and have particular regard to that report before deciding whether to publicly notify the draft; and
                1. publicly notify the draft; and
                  1. establish a process that—
                    1. the Minister considers gives the public, local authorities, and iwi authorities adequate time and opportunity to make a submission on the draft; and
                      1. requires a report and recommendations to be made to the Minister on those submissions and the subject matter of the draft.
                      Notes
                      • Section 58D: inserted, on , by section 50 of the Resource Legislation Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 15).