新西兰资源管理改革部长克里斯·毕晓普（Chris Bishop）公布一份调查报告，并就汉密尔顿市现行区域规划（Operative District Plan）中的部分条款展开公众咨询。

这项调查源于汉密尔顿社会住房开发商向政府提出的请求，希望部长行使《资源管理法》（Resource Management Act）赋予的监管权力，取消或修改那些可能对经济增长、开发能力或就业产生不利影响的地方规划条款。

毕晓普表示，一家社会住房供应商要求他审查汉密尔顿市区域规划中有关多户住宅开发和住房供应的规定。

此次审查涉及多项具体规划要求，包括多户住宅项目强制安装电动汽车充电设施、单车及微型交通工具停车位、深层土壤种植区、城市树冠覆盖率，以及建筑设计控制等。

调查发现，其中一些规定可能不必要地增加住宅开发的成本和复杂程度。目前政府正就调查结果展开咨询，并研究如何降低这些影响。

毕晓普表示，新西兰需要建设更多住房，尤其是可负担住房和社会住房，因此必须确保城市规划规则能够支持开发，而不是让住房建设变得更加困难和昂贵。

“社区咨询是这一过程的重要组成部分。我鼓励任何拥有相关信息、证据或意见的人参与其中。”

他说，政府的目标很明确：让住房建设更加容易，支持经济增长，并确保城市规划规则符合实际需要。

汉密尔顿市议会将获邀就调查结果提交意见。针对受影响各方及公众的正式咨询将于**2026年8月24日（星期一）开始，并于9月7日（星期一）**结束。

哪些规划规定正在接受审查？

此次调查主要涉及汉密尔顿住宅区域内的六类规划要求：

一、深层土壤面积要求

包括住宅区域内深层土壤区域的面积、尺寸、深度及相关定义。

二、城市树冠覆盖要求

涉及树冠覆盖率、现有树木保留以及种植指定树木等规定。

三、住宅建筑外墙设计限制

针对住宅区域内靠近地块边界的长型建筑外墙，对建筑设计及位置作出的相关限制。

四、电动汽车充电设施

针对多户住宅开发项目设置电动汽车充电基础设施的要求。

五、自行车及微型交通工具停车位

针对高密度住宅开发项目，对自行车及其他微型交通工具停车设施提出的要求。

六、建筑设计及通行标准

涉及住宅开发项目的具体建筑设计以及出入通道要求。

政府尚未作出最终决定

此次公众咨询并不意味着政府已经决定取消或修改上述规定。

咨询结束后，政府官员将分析收到的意见和提交材料，并向政府提供政策建议，之后才会决定是否制定相关法规，对汉密尔顿市区域规划中的部分条款进行取消或修改。

这项监管权力来自2025年通过的《资源管理法（许可及其他制度改革）修正案》（Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act 2025）。

根据新制度，负责资源管理改革的部长可以建议制定法规，取消或修改那些被认为对经济增长、开发能力或就业产生不利影响的地方规划条款。

此次咨询涉及的相关政府机构、怀卡托地区议会（Waikato Regional Council）、怀卡托区议会（Waikato District Council）、怀帕区议会（Waipa District Council），以及相关毛利部族组织，包括Waikato-Tainui等。

公众咨询将于8月24日正式开始，9月7日截止。

Consultation opens on Hamilton City Operative District Plan provisions

RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has released an investigation report and launched consultation on specific provisions in the Hamilton City Operative District Plan.

The report follows a request from Hamilton social housing developers for the Minister to exercise the regulation-making power in the Resource Management Act, which enables the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform to remove or modify provisions in district plans where they negatively impact economic growth, development capacity or employment.

“A social housing provider asked me to look at provisions relating to multi-unit residential development and housing supply in the Hamilton City Operative District Plan,” Mr Bishop says.

“The review covers specific provisions relating to mandatory electric vehicle charging infrastructure, cycle and micro-mobility parking requirements, deep soil planting and urban tree canopy rules, as well as building design controls.

“The investigation found that some of these provisions may be unnecessarily increasing the cost and complexity of development and explores how these impacts can be remedied. I am now consulting on those findings.

“New Zealand needs more homes, particularly affordable and social housing, and we need to ensure planning rules are supporting development rather than making it harder and more expensive to build.

“Community consultation is an important part of this process, and I encourage anyone with relevant information, evidence or views on these provisions to take part.

“The Government’s objective is straightforward: to make it easier to build homes, support economic growth, and ensure planning rules are fit for purpose.”

Hamilton City Council will now be invited to provide feedback on the findings. Consultation with affected parties and the general public opens Monday 24 August 2026 and runs until Monday 7 September 2026.

Notes to editor:

Following consultation, officials will analyse submissions and provide advice to the Government before any decisions are made on potential regulations.
The consultation has been launched under the Resource Management Act regulation-making power introduced through the Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act 2025.
The regulation-making power enables the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform to recommend regulations to remove or modify local plan provisions that negatively impact economic growth, development capacity or employment.
The investigation report is available on the Ministry for the Environment website: Hamilton District Plan – Residential Provisions: Report of Investigations
Further information will be available on the MCERT Have Your Say webpage as part of the public consultation package.
Affected parties are:

relevant Government entities 
Waikato Regional Council, Waikato District Counil and Waipa Council 
relevant iwi groups (Waikato-Tainui)

Further information will be available on the MCERT Have Your Say webpage as part of the public consultation package.
Public consultation opens Monday 24 August 2026 and closes Monday 7 September 2026.
Following consultation, officials will analyse submissions and provide advice before any decisions are made on potential regulations.

The provisions being looked at in the Hamilton City Operative District Plan are:

a. Deep soil area requirements in residential zones.

Provisions relating to the amount, dimensions, depth and definition of deep soil areas.

b. Urban tree canopy requirements in residential zones.

Provisions relating to tree canopy coverage, tree retention and specimen tree planting.

c. Built form controls for long building walls near external boundaries in residential zones.

Provisions controlling the design and placement of long building walls near external boundaries in residential zones.

d. Electric vehicle charging requirements for multi-unit residential developments.

Requirements for electric vehicle charging infrastructure associated with multi-unit residential development.

e. Residential cycle and micro-mobility parking requirements for higher-density housing types.

Requirements for cycle and micro-mobility parking associated with higher-density residential development.

f. Design and access standards.

Specific building design and access requirements applying to residential development.