Blueprint for Bay on track for public scrutiny | Rural

A proposed new regional policy framework to direct the management of the Bay of Plenty region's natural and physical resources is a step closer to public submissions.

The regional councilhas adopted the proposed Bay of Plenty Regional Policy Statement, a far-reaching planning tool that enables the use of natural resources, such as water and land, and allows for the development of roads, infrastructure and buildings in ways that maintain a healthy environment.

The proposed statement is expected to be publicly notified in the region's newspapers on November 9 for submissions from any person or organisation. Submissions will close on February 8. Some significant resource management issues are improving the water quality of the Rotorua Te Arawa lakes, managing urban growth and the way we use land, making water available for horticulture and farming, protecting the region's outstanding natural features and landscapes and the relationship of tangata whenua with the environment.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council group manager strategic development, Mary-Anne Macleod, said the statement is an overarching document at the regional level.

"It provides direction to regional plans and consents processes to promote integrated resource management decision-making on matters of significance to the Bay of Plenty," she said.

"It influences our quality of life in the region and that's why we have involved many people over the past two years in drafting the next regional policy statement."

As the regional policy statement directly influences what councils will need to do to protect and restore our environment and guides the processing of resource consents, extensive consultation and collaboration with district and city councils, iwi, community and industry stakeholders has been a hallmark of the development of the proposed Regional Policy Statement, she said.

The process for developing the next regional policy statement began in 2008 with a review of the existing operative policy statement, which lead to the decision to replace it. In November 2009 the regional council approved the release of a draft regional policy statement and 112 written comments were received.

Those comments have been taken into account in preparing the Proposed Regional Policy Statement.

At the same meeting the regional council approved for public release a statutory acknowledgments compendium document to the Operative Bay of Plenty Regional Policy Statement and the six existing and operative regional plans.