The Taituarā and New Zealand Planning Institute (NZPI) Regional Spatial Planning Roadshow is now well underway, with six regions completed and five still to go.
Thanks to the support of MfE (now MCERT) the workshops are being delivered free of charge, making it easier for councils across Aotearoa to access practical guidance and prepare for one of the most significant changes to New Zealand’s planning system.
The workshops are bringing together council leaders, planners and professionals to explore what regional spatial planning means in practice and what organisations can be doing now to prepare. Alongside practical guidance, the sessions have provided a valuable opportunity to hear how different regions are approaching the reforms and where they are focusing their efforts.
Across the country, councils are working together to establish the foundations for Regional Spatial Planning by developing process agreements, setting up programme management arrangements and workstreams, and considering options for interim governance arrangements. There is also strong recognition that early collaboration between councils, iwi and central government partners will be critical to delivering successful regional outcomes.
Another consistent theme that has emerged from the workshops has been the value of learning from one another. Participants have been keen to understand how other regions are structuring their programmes, managing uncertainty while legislation is still progressing, and balancing the need to prepare now with the flexibility to respond once the final legislative framework is confirmed.
Each workshop begins with a joint session before participants move into either the Taituarā or NZPI stream. The Taituarā programme focuses on governance, organisational readiness, regional collaboration and implementation, while the NZPI stream explores planning practice, systems thinking and engagement approaches that underpin successful regional spatial planning.
The roadshow continues over the coming weeks, with a small number of places still available for the Christchurch, Nelson and Invercargill workshops. If your council has not yet attended, there is still time to join the conversation and connect with colleagues preparing for these significant reforms.
We are awaiting the Select Committee report on the Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill, due to come out on 20 July. The report is expected to provide greater visibility of the changes being recommended, including matters relating to transition timing and the preparation of Regional Spatial Plans.
To support councils beyond the workshops, Taituarā is also hosting two upcoming webinars:
- 24 July – Transitional arrangements for the new planning system: Getting ready, delivered with MCERT, focusing on the transition to the new planning system, including transitional consenting arrangements.
- 3 August – Select Committee report back: Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill, exploring the Select Committee’s recommendations and the issues of greatest interest to local government, including any changes to transition timeframes and Regional Spatial Planning.
These sessions will help councils understand the latest developments and prepare confidently for the next stages of reform.
