Planning Bill
The Planning Bill establishes a new framework for land use and development in New Zealand. It introduces regional spatial plans, which will guide growth and infrastructure, and land use plans, which will set out detailed rules for districts. The bill outlines processes for creating these plans, including public notification, submissions, and independent hearings. It also details the system for planning consents, which are approvals required for certain activities, and sets out how these consents are applied for, considered, and decided. The bill includes provisions for enforcement, outlining duties, restrictions, and penalties for non-compliance. It also addresses the role of the Environment Court and the Planning Tribunal in this new system, and includes transitional arrangements for moving from existing legislation.
What this affects
Tap a topic to see how this bill touches it, and the parts of the text that show it.
The bill impacts housing by establishing a new planning system that will guide where and how housing developments can occur. It sets out the framework for land use plans which will contain rules for land use and subdivision, directly affecting housing supply and density.
Part 3 Combined plan
Subpart 2—Land use plans
75 Purpose of land use plan
76 Each district must have 1 land use plan
17 Restrictions on land use
Progress through Parliament
Have your say
This bill is open for public submissions to the Environment Committee. Anyone can tell the committee what they think, and you don’t need to be an expert. Submissions close 17 December 2025.
Bill text sourced from legislation.govt.nz (Parliamentary Counsel Office). Arapono’s summary and breakdown are drafted with AI grounded in that official text and reviewed by an Arapono editor for accuracy and neutrality before publishing. Arapono is non-partisan and takes no position on this bill.