This will make a difference

The Herald reports:

National has pledged to introduce new urban planning laws separate from the Resource Management Act – something it says will enable faster development of housing and other infrastructure.

Infrastructure spokesman Steven Joyce said the “fit-for-purpose” legislation would be passed if National was re-elected.

The Government passed RMA reforms in April, but those did not go as far as National wanted after it struggled to get other parties’ support because of controversial environmental changes.

“The RMA’s one-size-fits-all approach has restrained the development of our cities, dragged on their economic performance, and restricted the supply of much-needed housing and infrastructure,” Joyce said.

 “So National will establish a fit-for-purpose planning system that allows our cities to evolve in a way that improves the quality of the local environment, and makes them great places to live and work.”

Removing urban planning from the RMA will make a huge difference. The Productivity Commission and NZ Initiative have both championed as one of the most important things you can do for housing affordability.