National Policy Statement on Urban Development 2020 (NPS-UD)
The NPS-UD aims to ensure that New Zealand’s towns and cities are well-functioning urban environments that meet the changing needs of our diverse communities.
About the National Policy Statement
The National Policy Statement on Urban Development directs local authorities to enable greater supply and ensure that planning is responsive to changes in demand, while seeking to ensure that new development capacity enabled by councils is of a form and in locations that meet the diverse needs of communities and encourages well-functioning, liveable urban environments. It also requires councils to remove overly restrictive rules that affect urban development outcomes in our cities.
The NPS-UD was gazetted on 23 July 2020 and replaces the National Policy Statement on Urban Development Capacity 2016 (NPS-UDC).
The NPS-UD is administered by the Ministry for the Environment (MfE), with support from Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga - Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
The NPS-UD is available on the MfE website. Key policy documents will be made available on the MfE website in the days following Gazettal. There will also be more information on the NPS-UD page on the MfE website.
Implementing the NPS-UD
The NPS-UD was gazetted on 23 July 2020 and takes effect from 20 August 2020. Compliance timeframes for local authorities to implement the NPS-UD vary by policy and by which of the three “tiers” of urban environment the local authority has jurisdiction over.
Tier 1 urban environments
Tier 1 urban environments include:
- Auckland (Auckland Council)
- Christchurch (Canterbury Regional Council, Christchurch City Council, Selwyn District Council and Waimakariri District Council)
- Wellington (Wellington Regional Council, Wellington City Council, Porirua City Council, Hutt City Council, Upper Hutt City Council, Kāpiti Coast District Council)
- Tauranga (Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council)
- Hamilton (Waikato Regional Council, Hamilton City Council, Waikato District Council and Waipa District Council).
Tier 2 urban environments
Tier 2 urban environments include:
- Whangārei (Northland Regional Council, Whangārei District Council)
- Rotorua (Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Rotorua District Council)
- New Plymouth (Taranaki Regional Council, New Plymouth District Council
- Napier-Hastings (Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Napier City Council and Hastings District Council)
- Palmerston North (Manawatū-Whanganui Regional Council and Palmerston North City Council)
- Nelson Tasman (Nelson City Council, Tasman District Council)
- Queenstown (Otago Regional Council, Queenstown Lakes District Council)
- Dunedin (Otago Regional Council and Dunedin City Council).
Tier 3 urban environments
All other local authorities with jurisdiction over an “urban environment” are also required to comply with the NPS-UD.
An “urban environment” is defined in the NPS-UD as “any area of land (regardless of size, and irrespective of local authority or statistical boundaries) that: (a) is, or is intended to be, predominantly urban in character; and (b) is, or is intended to be, part of a housing and labour market of at least 10,000 people”.
Implementation deadlines
Every tier 1, 2 and 3 local authority must amend its regional policy statement or district plan to give effect to the provisions of the NPS-UD as soon as practicable. In addition, some policies have specific requirements. The following table shows the timelines for local authorities to meet the requirements.
|
Deadline |
NPS-UD requirement |
|
Initial implementation |
|
|
20 August 2020 |
The NPS-UD comes into force, replacing the NPS-UDC. All objectives apply. |
|
By 31 July 2021 |
Tier 1 and 2 councils have completed the housing assessment aspect of the new HBAs |
|
Not later than 20 February 2022 (18 months after commencement date) |
Tier 1, 2 and 3 councils have removed provisions in plans relating to minimum parking rates |
|
Not later than 20 August 2022 (Two years after commencement date) |
Tier 1 and 2 councils have notified plan changes implementing intensification policies |
|
As soon as practicable |
Tier 1, 2 and 3 councils have amended their regional policy statements and district plans to give effect to the NPS-UD. Tier 3 councils have notified plan changes implementing intensification policies |
|
In time to inform 2024 long-term plans |
Tier 1 and 2 councils have completed HBA Tier 1 and 2 councils have prepared or reviewed FDSs |
|
Ongoing timeframes |
|
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Quarterly |
Tier 1, 2 and 3 councils must monitor housing indicators Tier 1 councils must also monitor development uptake in medium- and high-density zones |
|
At least annually |
Tier 1, 2 and 3 councils must publish the results of their monitoring |
|
As soon as practicable and within 12 months of publishing the relevant monitoring report |
Tier 1 councils evaluate zone rules, where uptake is not meeting the development outcomes anticipated and notify plan changes if required |
|
Every three years |
Tiers 1 and 2 update HBA to inform FDS, long term plan, infrastructure strategies Tiers 1 and 2 update FDSs |
|
Every six years |
Tiers 1 and 2 prepare new FDS |
Published: October 4, 2021