Councils' use of the RMA and LGA in coastal development decisions : towards sustainability : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Resource and Environment Planning at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorBell, Angela Maureen
dc.date.accessioned2010-05-26T23:51:26Z
dc.date.availableNO_RESTRICTIONen_US
dc.date.available2010-05-26T23:51:26Z
dc.date.issued2009
dc.description.abstractThe Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) gave councils a mandate and an obligation to promote sustainability. Along with this it also introduced an expectation that the environment will be better managed than previously. Evidence shows that the environment is continuing to be degraded. This is especially evident in the coastal environment where in the early 2000s there has been unprecedented development pressure. The addition of the Local Government Act in 2002 (LGA) has strengthened councils’ sustainability mandate by stipulating a sustainable development approach and supporting processes and principles. Because the RMA and LGA have a similar sustainability directive there has been a push to utilise the compatible strengths that the LGA offers to enhance the outcomes achieved through RMA decisions, therefore, integrating and aligning the LGA and RMA. This research used case studies, including interviews, to examine how councils use their RMA and LGA mandates in coastal development decisions. The research found that currently there is little integration of the LGA’s requirements and sustainability direction in RMA coastal subdivision decisions. The case study analysis showed that using the principles and processes in the LGA and also a council’s policies, strategies, and plans other than RMA documents would provide up to date policy direction and contextual information that would be useful for RMA decisions and could provide a more sustainable outcome if used. The case studies identified a significant number of barriers to achieving sustainability through the RMA, including that much of the policy direction in RMA planning documents is not considered in deliberations. A number of these barriers are also likely to reduce attempts to integrate and align the LGA and RMA, unless they are addressed.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10179/1346
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherMassey Universityen_US
dc.rightsThe Authoren_US
dc.subjectResource Management Act 1991en_US
dc.subjectLocal Government Act 2002en_US
dc.subjectCoastal subdivisionen_US
dc.subjectSustainability barriersen_US
dc.subject.otherFields of Research::300000 Agricultural, Veterinary and Environmental Sciences::300900 Land, Parks and Agriculture Management::300903 Sustainable developmenten_US
dc.titleCouncils' use of the RMA and LGA in coastal development decisions : towards sustainability : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Resource and Environment Planning at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealanden_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
massey.contributor.authorBell, Angela Maureen
thesis.degree.grantorMassey Universityen_US
thesis.degree.levelMastersen_US
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Resource and Environmental Planning (M.R.P.)en_US
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
Thumbnail Image
Name:
02whole.pdf
Size:
727.71 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
Thumbnail Image
Name:
01front.pdf
Size:
36.07 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
895 B
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
Theses and Dissertations