The Otago Regional Policy Statement (ORPS) provides an overarching policy framework that identifies and drives progress on significant resource management issues facing the region.

The Otago Regional Policy Statement (ORPS) provides an overarching policy framework that identifies and drives progress on significant resource management issues facing the region.

The ORPS aims to achieve long-term environmental sustainability by integrating the protection, restoration, enhancement, and use of Otago’s natural and physical resources at a region-wide level.

It also gives effect to statutory requirements set out in the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA), as well as various other statutes, national direction instruments, and iwi authority planning documents.

District and regional plans in Otago need to give effect to an operative ORPS when setting objectives, policies, methods, and rules for managing activities and resources. If there is a proposed RPS being developed, district and regional plans need to have regard to that document too.

An RPS must cover the entire Otago region, including the coastal marine environment out to 12 nautical miles.

The Otago Regional Policy Statement 2019 (ORPS 2019) became fully operative on 4 March 2024, and you can download the ORPS 2019 below. 

The proposed Otago Regional Policy Statement 2021 was notified on 26 June 2021. Following a determination by the High Court, the pORPS 2021 was separated into two parts: a freshwater and a non-freshwater planning instrument. The non-freshwater instrument kept the original notification date and the freshwater planning instrument part was notified on 30 September 2022.

ORC notified its decisions on submissions on the proposed Otago Regional Policy Statement on 30 March 2024. The report of the non-freshwater and freshwater hearings panels, more information about the review process can be found on these pages:

The Regional Policy Statement for Otago 1998 was revoked on 15 March 2021, and information on it has been removed from this site.

Any questions?

Email us at policy@orc.govt.nz or call 0800 474 082 for further information.