Resource Management Act 1991

Schedule 3B: Policies 3, 4, and 5 of National Policy Statement on Urban Development 2020 (as amended by section 77S(1) of the Act)

You could also call this:

"Rules for how cities in New Zealand should grow and develop"

Illustration for Resource Management Act 1991

You are looking at rules about how cities should grow. These rules are part of the Resource Management Act 1991. They help decide how tall buildings can be and how closely together they can be built. You need to know about three main policies. Policy 3 is about city centres and other busy areas. It says buildings should be at least six storeys tall in some areas to make the most of the space. Policy 4 says that the rules in Policy 3 can be changed if needed. This is to make sure that other important things, like the environment, are considered. Policy 5 is about smaller towns and cities. It says that buildings should be tall enough to meet the needs of the people who live and work there.

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This page was last updated on 28 October 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS635327.

Topics:

Environment and resources > Town planningHousing and property > Land use

Schedule 3A: MDRS to be incorporated by specified territorial authorities, or

"Rules for Building and Using Land in New Zealand"

Schedule 3C: Alternative intensification provisions for Auckland and Christchurch, or

"Rules for building and growing in Auckland and Christchurch"

3BPolicies 3, 4, and 5 of National Policy Statement on Urban Development 2020 (as amended by section 77S(1) of the Act) Empowered by ss 2(1), 77S(1)

Policy 3: In relation to tier 1 urban environments, regional policy statements and district plans enable:

in city centre zones, building heights and density of urban form to realise as much development capacity as possible, to maximise benefits of intensification; and

in metropolitan centre zones, building heights and density of urban form to reflect demand for housing and business use in those locations, and in all cases building heights of at least 6 storeys; and

building heights of at least 6 storeys within at least a walkable catchment of the following:

existing and planned rapid transit stops:
the edge of city centre zones:
the edge of metropolitan centre zones; and

within and adjacent to neighbourhood centre zones, local centre zones, and town centre zones (or equivalent), building heights and density of urban form commensurate with the level of commercial activities and community services.

Policy 4: Regional policy statements and district plans applying to tier 1 urban environments modify the relevant building height or density requirements under Policy 3 only to the extent necessary (as specified in subpart 6) to accommodate a qualifying matter in that area.

Policy 5: Regional policy statements and district plans applying to tier 2 and 3 urban environments enable heights and density of urban form commensurate with the greater of:

the level of accessibility by existing or planned active or public transport to a range of commercial activities and community services; or

relative demand for housing and business use in that location.