In August 2025, the Building and Construction Minister announced a major overhaul of the building consent system under the Building Act 2004 (New Zealand) (Act) – the most significant reform since the Act’s enactment.
The...more
2/10/2026
/ Building Permits ,
Construction Contracts ,
Construction Defects ,
Construction Industry ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
Home Warranties ,
Insurance Regulations ,
Liability ,
Liability Insurance ,
New Legislation ,
Professional Liability Insurance ,
Regulatory Reform
Overview -
On 18 December 2025, the New Zealand Government gave notice of three new national direction instruments and made amendments to seven existing ones. These changes are intended to facilitate the transition from...more
12/26/2025
/ Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) ,
Affordable Housing ,
Environmental Policies ,
Infrastructure ,
Land Use Restrictions ,
Land-Use Permits ,
National Environmental Policies ,
New Legislation ,
New Regulations ,
New Zealand ,
Permits ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Resource Management ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Laws
Introduction and overview of the reform -
On 9 December 2025, the Government released the Natural Environment Bill and the Planning Bill, which are intended to repeal and replace the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) by...more
12/16/2025
/ Biodiversity ,
Conservation ,
Environmental Policies ,
Infrastructure ,
Land Use Restrictions ,
Land-Use Permits ,
Natural Resources ,
New Legislation ,
Permits ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Resource Management ,
State and Local Government ,
Tribal Governments ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Laws
As previously signalled, the New Zealand Government has introduced the Fast-track Approvals Amendment Bill (Bill)....more
11/11/2025
/ Competition ,
Grocery Stores ,
Infrastructure ,
Land-Use Permits ,
New Legislation ,
New Zealand ,
Permits ,
Real Estate Development ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Retailers ,
Urban Planning & Development