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Natural Environment Bill

Combined plan and other matters - National environment plans - Other matters

121: Boundary adjustments

You could also call this:

"What happens to environmental plans when region boundaries change"

Illustration for Natural Environment Bill

If the boundaries of a region change, you need to know what happens to the natural environment plan. The plan that applied to an area before the boundary change still applies to that area. It is also treated as part of the new regional council's plan. If a region's boundaries change to include a new area that was not in another region, you cannot use the land unless you have a natural resource permit. You also cannot use the land until the natural environment plan says you can. If a region's boundaries change to include a new area, the regional council must update its natural environment plan within two years. After the plan is updated, the old rules about boundary changes no longer apply to the new area.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1527084.

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Topics:
Environment and resources > ConservationEnvironment and resources > Town planningGovernment and voting > Local councils
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Part 3Combined plan and other matters
National environment plans: Other matters

121Boundary adjustments

  1. If the boundaries of a region are changed so that any area of the region is administered by a different regional council, the natural environment plan and any proposed natural environment plan or private plan change that applied to the area before the boundary change—

  2. continues to apply to the area; and
    1. is to be treated as part of the natural environment plan or proposed plan of, or a private plan change of, the different regional council.

      1. If the boundaries of a region are changed to include, within the region, an area that was not previously within the boundaries of another region, the land must not be used—

      2. unless the use is expressly allowed by a natural resource permit; or
        1. until the natural environment plan provides that the land may be used as proposed.

          1. If the boundaries of a region are changed to include a new area,—

          2. the regional council must, as soon as practicable (but not later than 2 years after the change to the boundaries), change its natural environment plan to apply it to the new area; and
            1. on and from the date that those changes are operative, subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to the area.