Regional Plan
A regional council's rules for managing natural resources including water, air, soil, and the coastal environment.
What is a Regional Plan?
Regional plans are prepared by New Zealand's regional councils under the Resource Management Act 1991. While district plans focus on land use and buildings, regional plans deal with the management of natural and physical resources — including freshwater, coastal areas, air quality, soil conservation, and natural hazards.
Regional plans are particularly relevant if your property is near a river, coast, or wetland, if it involves bore water or water takes, or if your planned activities involve discharges to air or water. For rural properties, regional plan rules around earthworks, vegetation clearance, and land use near waterways can have a significant impact on what you can do.
Most regions have separate plans for different resources (e.g. a regional freshwater plan, a regional coastal plan, a regional air plan), though some councils have combined them into a single document. Auckland is unique in having a unitary plan that combines both district and regional plan functions.
Regional plans also identify natural hazard areas — flood plains, coastal erosion zones, and areas susceptible to land instability — which can directly affect property values and insurability.
Why It Matters for Due Diligence
Regional plan rules can affect your property in ways that aren't obvious from a standard property search. If your property borders a stream, the regional plan may impose setback requirements for buildings and restrict vegetation clearance. If you rely on bore water, you'll need to understand the water permit regime.
Check whether the property falls within any natural hazard overlays identified in the regional plan, as these can affect insurance availability and building requirements.
How to Check
Access the regional plan on your regional council's website. Use the council's online mapping tools to check whether any regional plan overlays affect the property. The LIM report may also reference regional plan provisions, though it primarily focuses on district plan matters.
For properties near waterways, the coast, or in rural areas, consider contacting the regional council directly to understand any relevant rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a regional plan different from a district plan?
A district plan is prepared by your city or district council and covers land use and buildings. A regional plan is prepared by the regional council and covers natural resources — water, air, soil, and the coast. Both can impose rules that affect what you can do on your property.
Do I need to worry about the regional plan when buying a house?
For most suburban residential properties, the district plan is more directly relevant. However, if your property is near a river, stream, coast, or in a rural area, regional plan rules around setbacks, natural hazards, and water use can be significant. Your lawyer and the LIM report should flag any relevant issues.
Related Terms
District Plan
GlossaryThe local council's rulebook that sets out how land in the district can be used, developed, and subdivided.
Unitary Plan
GlossaryAuckland's combined planning document that merges the functions of a district plan and regional plan into a single set of rules for all land and resource use.
Resource Consent
GlossaryPermission from the local council to carry out an activity that affects the environment, required under the Resource Management Act 1991.
LIM Report
GlossaryA Land Information Memorandum — an official council report summarising everything the council knows about a property.
Zoning
GlossaryCouncil rules that classify land into zones and control what activities and types of buildings are allowed in each area.
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