This plan covers the region's "coastal marine area", which is the area from mean high water springs to the 12 nautical mile (22.2 km) limit of New Zealand's territorial sea. The purpose of the Regional Coastal Plan is to assist the Northland Regional Council, in conjunction with the Minister of Conservation, to promote the sustainable management of resources in the coastal marine area.
What activities does the plan cover?
The Regional Coastal Plan for Northland manages the following activities:
- Structures (e.g. wharves and boat ramps)
- Reclamation and impoundment
- Discharges to water
- Dredging
- Moorings and Marinas
- Aquaculture
It does not cover fisheries management. This is dealt with separately by the Ministry of Fisheries.
Status of the plan
The Regional Coastal Plan for Northland was publicly notified in December 1994. The plan was made operative on 1 July 2004.
Changes to the plan
Pursuant to sections 55 and 57 of the Resource Management Act 1991 and Policy 29 of the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement 2010, the Northland Regional Council hereby gives public notice that any activity currently specified as a discretionary activity and a restricted coastal activity in the Regional Coastal Plan for Northland shall, from Wednesday 8 December 2010, become a discretionary activity only. In addition, any activity currently specified as a non-complying activity and a restricted coastal activity in the Regional Coastal Plan for Northland shall, from Wednesday 8 December 2010, become a non-complying activity only.
In accordance with Policy 29 of the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement, the regional council has amended (without using the Schedule 1 RMA process) the Regional Coastal Plan for Northland to remove all references to restricted coastal activities.
The Northland Regional Council may, from time to time, prepare plan changes to the Regional Coastal Plan.
Currently two plan changes to the Regional Coastal Plan are being processed.
The plan is a dynamic document and has to evolve with central government legislation and resource management innovations to remain relevant.
These plan change documents have legal status and must be taken into account when viewing the relevant sections of the plan.
The two current plan changes are:
Plan Change 1 (Moorings and Marinas Review)
Plan Change 4 (Policy and Regulatory Regime for Aquaculture Management Areas)
For further information on these plan changes contact:
Michael Day, Policy Analyst
Planning and Policy Department
Email mailroom@nrc.govt.nz
Freephone 0800 002 004.
The Cross-river Coastal Marine Area Boundary
The cross-river boundary of the Coastal Marine Area on Northland’s rivers have been agreed on by the relevant district council, the Department of Conservation and the Northland Regional Council.
Whangarei District River Mouth Boundaries (520 KB)
Kaipara District River Mouth Boundaries (437 KB)
Far North District River Mouth Boundaries (1.9 MB)
Why would you use the plan?
The rules in the plan apply different levels of regulation to all activities relating to Northland's coastal marine area. Many activities with minor effects are permitted. However, others require a resource consent or are prohibited. If you are involved in any use or development in the coastal marine area or have concerns about this type of activity, you need to know what the rules are.
Get your copy
Contact any Regional Council office to order a CD copy ($20.00 including GST) of the Regional Coastal Plan for Northland.
You can view and download a copy of the Regional Coastal Plan from this website by clicking on the pdf files below.
Regional Coastal Plan Maps
The Regional Coastal Plan maps can be viewed as pdf files
View the Regional Coastal Maps pdf files
Or on our Northland Maps GIS. To access the maps through our Northland Maps GIS:
- click on the Northland Maps GIS link below
- open the Northland Maps GIS service
- click on the “Plan” icon in the bottom left hand corner, and
- tick the “Coastal Plan” layer
Link to Northland Maps GIS