3 minute read
Natural resources and environment
NATURAL RESOURCES
AND ENVIRONMENT
Sarah Cameron : HortNZ senior environmental policy advisor
The National Policy Statement for highly productive land (NPS-HPL) has been released. Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) has been involved in advocating for greater recognition of the importance of managing highly productive land, so it can be used for food production for the many years to come. The objective of the policy is to protect highly productive land for use in primary production – both now and for future generations. The NPS-HPL includes policies that prioritise and support primary production on highly productive land and manage reverse sensitivity risks. It does not prevent all development on highly productive land from occurring, but directs development away from highly productive land in most circumstances unless certain criteria are met.
The new NPS-HPL requires regional councils to map highly productive land within their Regional Policy Statements within the next three years. Territorial authorities must give effect to the policy immediately, and have two years after the maps are included within the Regional Policy Statements to implement the objectives, policies and rules within their district plans.
Tūtaekurī, Ahuriri, Ngaruroro, Karamū Catchment (TANK) Regional Plan – Decision notified
The independent hearing panel has made their decision on Proposed Plan Change 9: Regional Resource Management Plan – Tūtaekurī, Ahuriri, Ngaruroro, Karamū Catchment (TANK). The decision was notified on 9 September 2022. The TANK plan manages freshwater abstractions and discharges. HortNZ sought policies that recognise and support climate mitigation and adaptation, water storage and water transfer, highly productive land, rootstock survival water, a multi-contaminant approach to managing discharges, and the need for crop rotation as well as the need for recognition of industry assurance programmes such as NZGAP to support farm planning. Many, but not all, of HortNZ’s submission points were accepted or accepted in part. HortNZ is reviewing the decision and will discuss it with product groups, grower associations and growers.
Waitaki District Plan
HortNZ has provided a submission on the draft Waitaki District Plan. The Waitaki district is known for its highly productive land that supports primary production. Over time, more traditional crops such as peas and carrots have phased out, and now a wide variety of high-quality fruit and vegetable crops are grown, including some using organic production systems. The draft district plan provisions generally support horticulture production, however, HortNZ has suggested amendments to strengthen rules in the rural zones – including provisions for seasonal accommodation, artificial crop protection structures, ancillary earthworks and buildings – and to protect against reverse sensitivity effects from newly established activities by having appropriate setbacks from rural zone boundaries.
There will be more opportunities to engage with council once the proposed district plan is released for consultation in 2023.
Central Otago District Plan Change 19
Central Otago District Council submissions on the proposed Plan Change 19 closed on 2 September 2022. Plan Change 19 (PC-19) is driven by the directions set out in Central Otago District Council’s Vincent and Cromwell spatial plans. PC-19 seeks to respond to the anticipated increase in demand for residential land and housing affordability over the next 30 years and proposes to rezone new land for residential use, identify future growth areas and align existing residential zoning with the proposed zones. PC-19 sets to increase density in urban areas and intensify areas where there is lifestyle or larger lots of residential housing. HortNZ sought input from growers and product groups to form a submission outlining the need for primary production to be enabled in rural areas and for reverse sensitivities to be effectively managed. Our submission advocated for the preservation of highly productive land to be maintained as a resource for the future.
