KEY POINTS:
Commercial landlords with property worth more than $2.5 billion are delighted about Resource Management Act reform and even back moves to raise corporate fines from $200,000 to $600,000.
Rob Lang, chief executive of AMP NZ Office Trust's manager and John Dakin, who heads Goodman Property Trust's manager, have
both backed sweeping changes.
Anzo is New Zealand's largest listed investor in commercial office property, and Lang said the big fine hikes were good because they would encourage compliance with the new regime.
"If it sharpens discipline around planning and development, then it doesn't really matter what the fine is. It will make sure things are done properly," he said.
Lang, Green Building Council chairman and head of the business finishing a $114 million development project at 21 Queen St, backed the Government's proposed changes.
"I'm pleased with the whole initiative, just that someone after 19 years has decided to pick up the fall," he said.
Lang was delighted to see promises that RMA abuse on anti-competitive grounds would stamped out.
Lang worked with Murray Jordan, who left Anzo for Foodstuffs and has been trying to open the Pak'n Save at Wairau Park - a property cited by Environment Minister Nick Smith as an example of a case for RMA reform.
The store, finished in 2005, was the subject of litigation opening yesterday between Progressive Enterprises and North Shore City. Progressive is appealing the Environment Court decision in the High Court at Auckland.
The reforms will outlaw frivolous, vexatious and anti-competitive objections, reinstate the Environment Court's powers to award security of costs, increase filing fees for Environment Court appeals and incorporate a punitive regime for proceedings brought by a person against a trade competitor.
North Shore mayor Andrew Williams said the supermarket and Fox Outlet Centre were both cases of anti-competitive behaviour and he welcomed changes.
John Dakin, chief executive of the $1 billion Goodman Property Trust, praised the Government's moves, saying RMA problems were one of the sector's biggest stumbling blocks.
Dakin is particularly concerned about RMA costs and cited the case of an office park sign which cost $18,000 - of which $6000 was required for consent fees to a territorial authority.
Gary Taylor, Environmental Defence Society chairman, said several proposals were of major concern.
"A number of seemingly small changes that taken together will weaken environmental planning and have a chilling effect on public participation."
John Hassan, a Chapman Tripp partner, said: "The bill proposes to remove any right to appeal plan decisions other than on questions of law. Without much greater quality assurance in the way council plan hearings are conducted, that could pose a significant risk of increased recourse to the High Court against council planning decisions."
RMA QUICK-FIRE
This month:
Bill introduced to Parliament
March:
Public submissions and hearings
September:
Reforms could be passed