Resource Management Policy and Plans

Proposed Marlborough Environment Plan

On 9 July 2025 the proposed Marlborough Environment Plan became operative in part. More information on the current operative plan, its predecessors and different legislation that informs the plan is available on this page.

Read the proposed Marlborough Environment Plan

Go to the previous planning documents

Operative Resource Management Framework

The Council's resource management framework has been bundled into one combined plan, the proposed Marlborough Environment Plan (PMEP). The PMEP incorporates the following:

Marlborough Regional Policy Statement;
Regional Coastal Plan;
Regional Plan;
District Plan.

As at 9 July 2025, the PMEP became operative in part. Where a provision is not yet operative the following documents still require consideration:

Marlborough Regional Policy Statement
Marlborough Sounds Resource Management Plan
Wairau/Awatere Resource Management Plan

Go to the previous planning documents page

The Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA)

The RMA is the main piece of legislation that sets out how we should manage our environment. It's based on the idea of the sustainable management of our resources, and it encourages us (as communities and as individuals) to plan for the future of our environment.

The RMA:

Helps us look after the environment
Is based on the idea of sustainably managing resources
Encourages us to get involved in decisions about our environment.

More information on the RMA is can be found on the Ministry for the Environment's website

Te Tau Ihu Statutory Acknowledgements

Te Tau Ihu Statutory Acknowledgements are an attachment to the proposed Marlborough Environment Plan.

View Statutory Acknowledgement Smart Maps

See the Statutory Acknowledgements as a flipbook (with links to maps)

Download the Statutory Acknowledgements (with links to maps) (2.3 Mb)

National Policy Statements

The Council is required to give effect to National Policy Statements implemented by Central Government.

Go to Council's work on National Policy Statements

There are a range of National Policy Statements currently in place. These can be accessed from the Ministry for the Environment website.

Go to National Policy Statements on the Ministry for the Environment website

National Environmental Standards

National Environmental Standards have the force of a regulation and apply irrespective of provisions contained in the proposed Marlborough Environment Plan. There are a variety of National Environmental Standards currently in place. These can be accessed from the Ministry for the Environment website.

Go to National Environmental Standards on the Ministry for the Environment website

Previous Planning Documents

View the documents that were operative prior to the proposed Marlborough Environment Plan. These include recent planning documents including the Wairau/Awatere Resource Management Plan, Marlborough Sounds Resource Management Plan and Regional Policy Statement, as well as those from a range of local authorities managing the use, development and protection of natural and physical resources prior to the establishment of the Marlborough District Council.

Go to previous planning documents