The highly anticipated National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land was released this week and is expected to protect New Zealand’s most fertile soils.
Carter Group has received approval from the Selwyn District Council to build a 1,710-section housing project in Lincoln, some of it on productive food-producing lands, opponents say.
Residents’ group, Lincoln Voice, is currently fighting in Environment Court against the Carter Subdivision, known as Lincoln South, over the district council’s approval of Carter Group’s Plan Change 69 rezoning application.
Lincoln South is planned to cover 190 acres of rural land on the southern outskirts of Lincoln, which would increase the number of homes in the city by about 55 percent.
Lincoln Voice spokeswoman Denise Carrick welcomed the release of the new legislation, which had finally come out after many delays.
Group members still consulted with lawyers and experts whether the NPS-HPL would strengthen their case at the Environmental Court.
“At least it stops this from happening elsewhere in Selwyn and New Zealand, and is a big step forward towards a great future for our soil, food supply and our environment,” said Carrick.
Professor Amanda Black, director of Bioprotection Aotearoa, based at Lincoln University, said it would take at least three and a half years to implement the NPS-HPL.
“While it goes into effect on Oct. 17, 2022, any country already marked for subdivision will still go ahead,” Black said.
This included Lincoln South.
“There are also a number of exceptions to the protection of high-yielding land that raise the question: will the NPS-HPL be able to adequately protect our future food supply? And is this too little too late?” she said.
Fellow Lincoln academic Dr. Trish Fraser, a scientific team leader at Plant and Food Research, said the new legislation would be a game changer for Selwyn.
The NPS-HPL would mean that the district council would have to pay more attention to the soil type in an area proposed for allotment.
“So they will have more reasons to reject applications than before where land value was ignored,” Fraser said.
The county council has faced a spate of zoning changes in the past two years as developers take advantage of legislation aimed at solving New Zealand’s housing shortage.
In 2020, the National Policy Statement on Urban Development was introduced.