A Māori housing provider has welcomed the Government’s new National Environmental Standards for Papakāinga, but say the changes are only one step towards addressing the longstanding barriers that have made it difficult for whānau to build on their own whenua.
The standards, announced by RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka, introduce nationally consistent rules for papakāinga developments and will permit up to 10 homes to be built on ancestral Māori land in rural, residential and Māori purpose zones, subject to environmental and safety requirements.
For Te Pouahi o Te Taitokerau Trust, which supports Māori-led housing developments across Te Taitokerau, the reforms are a welcome acknowledgement of challenges Māori communities have been raising for years.
“This much needed reform acknowledges that for too long the system has made it difficult for whānau to build homes on their own whenua,” said Te Pouahi Kaihautū Kris MacDonald.
Te Pouahi has been advocating for many of the changes included in the new standards, saying the previous planning framework often failed to reflect the realities of papakāinga development and created unnecessary hurdles for whānau seeking to return to their whenua.
MacDonald spoke of the obstacles facing Māori housing developments.
“We have first-hand experience of how difficult it can be to access whenua Māori in Te Taitokerau, with specialist geotechnical and engineering support often required and bottlenecks at the feasibility and consenting phase.”
He said inconsistent planning rules between councils had often created further delays and uncertainty.
“It is good to see the government acknowledge that rules vary widely across councils, and that this inconsistency slows down or even stops development.”
The trust has worked alongside whānau, trusts and project groups to progress housing developments throughout Te Taitokerau and says navigating the consenting process has required significant time, expertise and investment.
“We have already achieved resource consent for over 80 homes and infrastructure sites on whenua Māori, but it has been a significantly complex process getting there.”
While welcoming the reforms, Te Pouahi cautions that planning changes alone will not solve the wider challenges facing papakāinga development.
“We know from experience that planning reform alone does not build homes.”
MacDonald said planning reform will only be effective if councils apply the new rules consistently and in ways that genuinely support whānau aspirations to build on their whenua.
“The success of the new standards will rely on thoughtful implementation across all councils, enabling more whānau to successfully build their own homes, ko ō tātou kāinga noho, he mea hanga.”
The trust also welcomed the environmental protections retained within the standards, saying housing development and environmental stewardship should go hand in hand.
“Environmental protections and housing delivery should be considered as part of the same kaupapa.”
Te Pouahi says kaitiakitanga remains a core commitment underpinning every papakāinga development it supports.
The Government says the new standards are intended to reduce complexity, time and costs for Māori landowners by replacing the patchwork of council rules that currently apply across the country.
“The current system has made it too hard for whānau to build homes on their own land, with rules varying widely between councils and slowing or even stopping development,” Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka said.
Potaka said the standards recognise the unique relationship Māori have with their whenua and support long-term community wellbeing.
The new standards will come into force on 2 July.
