The Proposed Otago Regional Policy Statement 2021 (Proposed RPS 21) sets the direction for future management of Otago's natural and physical resources.

This page records progress on the submissions and hearing process for the Proposed ORPS 21 (Non-freshwater parts). 

The Regional Policy Statement (RPS) sets out what we want for Otago, what is stopping us achieving this, and how we will solve these problems. The Proposed RPS 21 identifies the Significant Resource Management Issues for the region. It also explains how national direction on resource management will be applied in Otago and provides direction on how to balance potentially conflicting requirements.

The Proposed RPS 21 (pORPS21) does not contain rules like a regional or district plan. Its role is to provide high-level guidance by way of policies and objectives and establish the framework for Otago's regional and district plans in which more specific resource management policies, objectives and rules will sit.

Submissions and further submissions on the Proposed RPS 21 (Non-freshwater parts) are now closed. Council has appointed a hearing panel to hear all submissions and make recommendations to Council.

Click here for information on the RPS hearings process.

The Hearing Panel provides information on the hearings process. This generally takes the form of Minutes that are available from the link above. As well as uploading Minutes to the ORC webpage, the Hearing Panel also uses ORC’s existing 'Address for Service' list so, if you are a submitter or a further submitter, please keep us updated with any changes to your contact details.

The Proposed Regional Policy Statement was notified on 26 June 2021.

• Read the Proposed RPS 21 ePlan (see Guidance documents below for help with using the ePlan)
• Microsoft Word version available on request by emailing rps@orc.govt.nz
• Read the public notice here
• Read the Proposed RPS 21 as a PDF:

At its meeting on 15 September 2022 the Council determined that parts of the RPS 21 were directly related to the maintenance and enhancement of freshwater and therefore comprised a freshwater planning instrument. Those parts must now be excluded from consideration under the Schedule 1 to the Resource Management Act process. The excluded parts are listed in this table.

• Read the edited RPS 21 (Non-freshwater) as a PDF

The Section 32 Report provides the reasoning supporting the notified Proposed RPS 21:

• Section 32 report
• Section 32 report appendices

The summary of the decisions requested (SoDR) summarises the decisions requested by submitters on the Proposed RPS21. Named 'SoDR with Further Submissions and Errata', this report includes all submissions received as well as all further submissions received on those submissions. It does not include submissions without an address for service (recorded in Part B of the original SoDR).

• SODR with Further Submissions and Errata - Part A (with Address for Service)
• SODR with Further Submissions and Errata - Part A (with Address for Service) - Non-Freshwater parts identified separately [5 December 2022]

The documents below do not include further submissions.

• Summary of Decisions Requested - Part A 
• Summary of Decisions Requested - Part B (No address for service provided)
• Summary of Decisions Requested – Corrigenda
• Read the public notice (SoDR)
• Read the public notice (corrigenda)

The full submissions on the Proposed RPS 21: 

• Read all Submissions received on the Proposed RPS 21
• Read all Further Submissions on the Proposed RPS 21

When ORC notified the Proposed RPS 21, it was satisfied that the Proposed RPS 21 is a freshwater planning instrument in accordance with the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). Questions were raised whether the Proposed RPS 21 is a freshwater planning instrument in terms of section 80A of the RMA.

To resolve these questions, ORC brought proceedings in the High Court in Dunedin under the Declaratory Judgments Act 1908. 

View all related documents here.

Read more about the development of the Proposed RPS 21 here. 

• pORPS Hearing Process – Email hearingsadministrator@orc.govt.nz for all matters in relation to the hearing process, including updates to registered submitter contact details.
• General pORPS matters (not hearing process related) - Call 0800 474 082 or email us at rps@orc.govt.nz for non-hearing matters.

These documents provide further help with using the ePlan:

• Guide to reading the Proposed RPS 21ePlan
• Guide to how to use the Proposed RPS 21 ePlan map