National Direction Reforms: Package Two – Primary Sector

Changes to National Direction are proposed to support agriculture, forestry and aquaculture

Background

The Government has released three consultation packages detailing proposed changes to a number of National Direction instruments targeted at infrastructure, housing, agriculture and freshwater.

This article is the fourth in a series detailing those proposed changes. You can read more about the full range of proposals here. Submissions are due on 27 July 2025.

Package Two seeks to enable primary sector growth and development, including aquaculture, forestry, pastoral farming, horticulture, and mining.

Amendments to support forestry and aquaculture

The Government proposes to change the NES for Commercial Forestry, and the NES for Marine Aquaculture to reduce inefficiencies and restore confidence to commercial forestry and support marine aquaculture growth.

Key changes relating to forestry include:

• Reversing 2023 amendments that expanded council discretion over when councils can impose stricter rules than the NES-CF;
• Amending the NES-CF to replace the current requirement to remove large defined slash from the cutover with a requirement for a slash mobilisation risk assessment (SMRA) – the intent is to triage the forest harvest site during harvest planning to exempt areas where risk is low from the need to remove slash;
• Removing the requirements for afforestation and replanting plans for permitted activities.

Key changes relating to marine aquaculture include:

• Amending the NES-MA to make it easier to change consent conditions relating to consented species, structures and monitoring;
• Amending the NES-MA to permit or otherwise provide streamlined consent pathways for activities related to aquaculture research and trials;
• Amending the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement (NZCPS) to provide for aquaculture activities within aquaculture settlement areas, to support Māori to realise their potential and recognise the cultural and environmental benefits of aquaculture.

Amendments to support quarrying and aggregate extraction

Changes to the NPS for Indigenous Biodiversity, NPS for Highly Productive Land, NPS for Freshwater Management and NES for Freshwater are proposed to provide consistent consenting pathways for quarrying and aggregate extraction.

They include amendments to terminology, and the alignment of gateway tests where a quarrying proposal triggers consent requirements in respect of wetlands, indigenous biodiversity or highly productive land – including the recognition of the operational need to locate in an area and the regional benefits of quarrying.

Amendments to the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement

The NZCPS is also proposed to be amended to make it easier to consent infrastructure, renewable energy generation, energy supply and mineral extraction activities in the coastal environment by including more directive language in Policy 6, which would have the effect of softening the ‘avoid’ policies.

Changes to the National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land (NPS-HPL)

As has been signalled for some time, the Government is consulting on amendments to the NPS for Highly Productive Land, including:

• How LUC Class 3 land is treated – The application of the NPS-HPL to LUC 3, which comprises large portions of versatile land used for grazing and mixed cropping, has caused concern due to blanket restrictions on development. The Government is seeking feedback on whether LUC 3 land should be excluded from the HPL definition completely, or just in respect of urban development plan changes; and
• Proposed new Special Agricultural Areas (SAA) to protect key food growing areas like Pukekohe and Horowhenua.

These changes could have a significant impact on future urban development and rural diversification, especially in peri-urban regions.

It is also proposed to extend the timeframe for regional councils to map HPL, which is currently October 2025.

Want to know more?

If you have any questions about proposed changes to the national direction and how to submit, please contact our specialist Resource Management team.

PDF available here.