New Zealand coastal planning: an issue-based approach

A new framework for coastal planning is evolving in New Zealand. Of particular significance is the enactment of the Resource Management Act 1991, which aims to promote the sustainable management of the countryʹs natural and physical resources. This is to be achieved through a series of national policy statements and plans and district plans. The Act requires resource managers to concentrate more on the ‘effects’ of activities and less on the activities themselves. The Act also places a greater emphasis on the justification of the ‘methods’ or ‘means’ (such as provision of information) chosen to address coastal planning issues than has been necessary in the past. This paper provides information about the New Zealand coastal management regime and illustrates how five regional councils (Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki, Hawkes Bay and Wellington) have used a combination of methods in dealing with water quality issues. Generally, regional coastal plans in New Zealand should be seen as facilitative documents within absolute environmental limits set by the Act. While it is not yet possible to evaluate the effectiveness of methods chosen by regional councils, this paper shows that prescriptive planning or regulation is used selectively, placing greater responsibility on industry and individuals in the community to develop local initiatives to improve coastal management.