The Productivity Commission will conduct a first principles review of urban planning rules and processes to identify the most appropriate system of land allocation to support a responsive housing market.

The inquiry will include the Resource Management, Local Government and Land Transport Management Acts together with elements of the Building Act, the Reserves Act and the Conservation Act.

This was a key recommendation in the Commission's final report on Using land for housing, Chapman Tripp's commentary on which is available here.

Finance Minister Bill English confirmed the new review at the weekend. He had earlier signalled that he wanted a much more wide-ranging approach than was possible under Terms of Reference for the Using land for housing investigation.

The Commission's statement outlining the scope of the new inquiry can be accessed here.

Timeline

The Commission will publish an "issues paper" in mid-December which will outline its proposed approach to the inquiry and a preliminary set of key questions.

Its final report to the government is due on 30 November 2016.

Opportunity

This is clearly an opportunity to achieve meaningful reform by making submissions to the Productivity Commission. We will follow developments and keep you apprised of progress.

The information in this article is for informative purposes only and should not be relied on as legal advice. Please contact Chapman Tripp for advice tailored to your situation.