ORC has fully reviewed the operative Regional Plan: Water for Otago and developed a new Land and Water Regional Plan (LWRP), which will be notified late 2024. 

The proposed new LWRP gives full effect to higher order planning documents – the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA), relevant national policy statements and our new proposed RPS (notified in 2021). It also takes into account relevant iwi planning documents. 

The RMA requires councils to review any plan provisions that have not changed since 2010. 

After the current Water Plan became operative in 2004, the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2014 (amended 2017) was released, setting the direction for freshwater management in New Zealand. As part of implementing this National Policy Statement, the ORC reviewed its Water Plan and developed a new LWRP, which will be notified on late 2024. 

In November 2019, following a review of the ORC’s functions and planning framework, the Minster for the Environment recommended that we notify a new LWRP by 31 December 2023. This recommendation was accepted by ORC. 

In addition to the statutory requirement to review the plan provisions, the pressures faced within the region have evolved over time. ORC is comprehensively reviewing its Water Plan to ensure the forthcoming LWRP looks after the unique and treasured ecological, cultural and community values that are supported by our region’s water bodies.