An update on the mediation outcome was delivered to ORC’s Councillors in the non-public part of a full Council meeting, in Dunedin on Wednesday.

Following the meeting, ORC’s Manager Policy and Planning, Fleur Matthews, highlighted the success of the mediation process for both the Environment Court and High Court appeals process.

“We’re very pleased with the outcome of the mediation process, which took place between the ORC and the parties which appealed the proposed Otago Regional Policy Statement”.

“Agreement has been reached on how to resolve nearly all appeal points,” Ms Matthews says.
She says of the original more than 20 appeal points, just two points are still outstanding – one on the Urban Form and Development Chapter and one on the Freshwater Chapter, which at present remain before the Environment Court and High Court (respectively).

“We’d like to thank all the parties involved in the process, for engaging in a proactive and solutions focused manner which underpinned the resolutions from mediation; it was an exceptional effort by all the parties involved.”

Ms Matthews says now the proposed Otago Regional Policy Statement 2021 has moved to the “final stages” of the Schedule 1 process under the Resource Management Act 1991, and the Council, in the next triennium, will be able to consider making it operative.

On the question of the Government’s recent “Plan Stop” to all regional councils, Ms Matthews noted the Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act 2025 (which implemented the Government’s ‘Plan Stop’ directive) does not apply to the proposed Otago Regional Policy Statement because hearings on it were concluded in 2023, and it is nearly complete.

The Environment Court is now in the process of preparing consent orders, based on the mediation agreements, which will formally amend the proposed Otago Regional Policy Statement.