Lake Hayes
The Otago Regional Council is developing a Land and Water Regional Plan (LWRP) to protect Otago’s precious waterways for future generations.
The proposed new rules and regulations will give comprehensive direction for managing land and water resources in the region. Some rules and regulations will be region-wide, while others will apply to specific parts of Otago.
Download the complete plan here:
Originally scheduled to be notified by end of June, on 27 March this year Council requested that staff delay the planned notification until 31 October 2024. The final draft plan will come to a council meeting on 23 October, when Council will be asked to formally notify the Plan. This stage is a milestone 4 years in the making; a collaborative effort between Councillors, mana whenua, Council staff, and a lot of input from our community and stakeholders including 3 public consultation stages between Nov 2021 and Nov 2023 resulting in more than a thousand individual pieces of feedback - showing it really does take a community to make a plan for the future.
On 23 October, Council will be asked to formally notify the Plan.
If approved by Council, this version of the Plan will be notified on 31 October and become the proposed Land and Water Regional Plan. As the rules in the LWRP relate to the management of water or soil (for soil conservation) they will have immediate legal effect upon notification of the Plan.
Once the plan is notified, everyone can make formal submissions on the proposed plan. We’ll have more detail about how and when to make a submission closer to this time.
What will the Plan mean for you?
We have some FAQs up on our website which might answer your questions, otherwise, you can email policy@orc.govt.nz
Get a better understanding of why the Land and Water Regional Plan was proposed, as well as what the plan will address, and what communities have said.
On this page you will find information about the changed rules and regulations relating to the Land and Water Regional Plan (LWRP).
Aligned with national and regional policies, this plan affects resource consents, permitted activities, and new projects. Got questions? We're here to help!
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Feedback on environmental actions (last year) |
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Feedback on draft plan (we are here!)
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Plan notified/legal effect for some parts |
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Submissions invited |
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Public hearings |
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Hearings panel report |
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ORC decisions made |
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Appeals period |
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Plan replaces the old Water Plan for Otago |
Proposed new rules in the Land and Water Regional Plan (LWRP) for Otago will give new, comprehensive direction for managing land and water resources in the region. The plan is required in New Zealand law, replacing an outdated Otago Regional Council planning framework that is no longer fit for purpose. Our new plan is seeking to better align with our regional policy statement as well as the various national policy statements and regulations.
lisa please fix: Through the plan review Otago communities want healthy water ways and healthy communities. So, our planning emphasises this.
The plan will have legal effect following notification. For some activities there will be a grace period to transition to the new regulations. More information about this is available on our FAQ page, or by contacting ORC.
A freshwater management unit (FMU) is a water body or multiple water bodies believed to be the appropriate scale for managing water.
On this page you will find information about the changed rules and regulations relating to the Land and Water Regional Plan (LWRP).
Our partnership with Kāi Tahu aims to build a strong and lasting relationships which allow mana whenua to contribute to decision-making and capacity development. It's a legal requirement but also part of our commitment to meaningful engagement, respecting the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.
