On 8 April 2020, in response to requests from the Otago Regional Council (ORC), the Minister for the Environment issued two directions under section 142(2) of the Resource Management Act (RMA) to refer the following plan changes to the Environment Court for decision:

• Water Permits Plan Change – Water Plan Change 7 (WPPC)
• Omnibus Plan Change – Water Plan Change 8 and Waste Plan Change 1

The plan changes are interim measures proposed by ORC to improve water quality in the Otago Region while ORC works on a new Land and Water Regional Plan. The new Regional Plan is expected to be in operation towards the end of 2025. 

We notified the plan changes on Monday 6 July 2020. 

Latest update: 10 June 2021

Environment Court Hearings 

The Environment Court is in the middle of holding hearings for the WPPC in various locations in the Otago Region. Hearings for the Omnibus Plan Change - Water Plan Change 8 and Waste Plan Change 1 have not yet commenced. All information on the hearings is available on the Environment Court website. 

View all up-to-date information on the ORC Plan Changes - Environment Court Website 

20 October 2020 - Handover to Environment Court 

The EPA has handed all information relating to the ORC plan changes to the Environment Court, as required under section 149G of the RMA. The Environment Court will make decisions on the plan changes and the submissions.

The Otago Regional Council is currently preparing to lodge a notice of motion under section 149T(3), which will formally commence the Environment Court proceedings. The Council will serve a copy of the notice of motion on submitters and further submitters.

The information on the EPA website will be retained throughout the Environment Court proceedings. However, if you have any questions about the next steps in the process, please email the Environment Court: ORC@justice.govt.nz.

Local authority key issues report - 13 October 2020

Otago Regional Council has prepared reports on the key issues in relation to the Water Permits Plan Change, and Omnibus Plan Change, as commissioned by the EPA under section 149G(3) of the Resource Management Act.

View the key issues report on the Water Permits Plan Change 

View the key issues report on the Omnibus Plan Change

Availability of further submissions - 7 October 2020

The further submissions have been processed and are available for viewing. There were 16 further submissions made on the Water Permits Plan Change, and 18 further submissions on the Omnibus Plan Change. The original submissions and summary of submissions can also be viewed on these pages below.

View further submissions and the original submissions on the Water Permits Plan Change

View further submissions and the original submissions on the Omnibus Plan Change

We have commissioned the ORC to prepare a report on the key issues in relation to the matters, under section 149G(3) of the RMA. The reports will be made available on our website. At the completion of the further submission process, we will provide all information received on the matter to the Environment Court.