Resource Management Act: RMA Link: Processes: Details

The RMAlink project aims to make community participation in all Resource Management Act processes more straightforward and less time-consuming. More effective participation from those with a concern for the environment will contribute towards improving environmental outcomes nationwide.

Processes: Details

Index


Hosted by:

Wellington Community Network
Subject Resource Consent Processes

Text Council Hearings

The references below contain information about how hearings are conducted. Or you can ask Council staff if you are unsure what to expect.

The Resource Management Amendment Act 2005 has made some significant changes to the way some hearings are conducted. Councils can choose to run consent hearings in a similar way to court proceedings. An applicant can be required to provide briefs of evidence before a hearing. A council can invite or require parties to attend pre-hearing meetings. If a person fails to attend such a meeting without providing a good reason, the consent authority can decline to consider their submission.

The Act now requires the majority of decisionmakers at a hearing to be accredited, i.e. to attend a Ministry for the Environment training programme. This provision aims to improve the quality and consistency of decisions, and to ensure that the procedure followed at hearings is in line with best practice.

 

References

MFE (2001) Keeping it Fair: A Guide to the Conduct of Hearings Under the Resource Management Act 1991.
Ministry for the Environment, Wellington.

Peart, R. (2004) The Community Guide to the Resource Management Act 1991.
Environmental Defence Society, Auckland.
Sections on 'Presenting Submissions at Council Hearings'.
P58-60 deals with resource consent hearings, p69-71 with policy statement and plan review hearings. Useful guidance for submitters.

MFE (2004) Appearing at a Council Plan Change Hearing
Ministry for the Environment, Wellington.
A guide for people who have made a submission and want to speak at a hearing. One of the 'Everyday Guide to the Resource Management Act' series. Available online at www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/rma

MFE (2004) Appearing at a Resource Consent or Designation Hearing
Ministry for the Environment, Wellington.
A guide for people who have made a submission and want to speak at the Council hearing. One of the 'Everyday Guide to the Resource Management Act' series. 

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