The Institute of Professional Engineers (IPENZ) has come out strongly in support for the Govt’s proposed RMA changes saying applicants will now have more say in the outcome of decisions. IPENZ says the changes, particularly the priority given to national infrastructure, will significantly speed up timeframes for infrastructure planning applications - both big and small. It will also place the power to decide the process largely in the hands of the applicants. IPENZ’s Tim Davin says, “…these reforms place the choice in the hands of the applicants and allows them to make an application by a Board of inquiry. If eligible, the application will be sent to the Board of Inquiry who must make a final decision within nine months.”

Whole of project approach. He notes a key part of this change is it will apply to parts of a network which are national. “A State Highway project that in isolation is not nationally significant such as in a rural area, will still be eligible for this type of application because it is part of a National roading network.” Another welcome change is the provision for resource consent applicants and requiring authorities (usually infrastructure providers) to be able to have their application referred directly to the Environment Court provided the local authority has first agreed. “This looks to be a very worthwhile provision - although there will need to be some criteria around the local authority’s ability to decline this direct referral to the Environment Court.”

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