Unitary Plan: No need to 'lawyer up'

File photo / NZ Herald

People do not have to be lawyered up to participate in the Unitary Plan process, says the judge chairing the independent hearings panel.

Environment Court judge David Kirkpatrick told a media briefing today that lay people often made very effective submissions.

He was speaking ahead of the first proper hearings tomorrow on the new planning rulebook for the Super City, which will determine how the city develops in the coming decades.

Judge Kirkpatrick said he was aware of concerns by lay people about the process, saying even the independent hearing panel found it complex and unwieldly at times.

He said the panel would give the same attention to every submitter, whether they were "lawyered up" or not.

Many submitters and community organisations have expressed concerns at the hearings process for the draft Unitary Plan, which they say is daunting, complex and heavily weighted towards the powerful few who can afford lawyers and experts.

"Sometimes very effective submissions are made by lay people who don't have experts or technical (assistance) but have a very clear focus and clear suggestions on a way the plan can be made better.

"If the plan is to work in the long term then it needs to be something that is born out of what the people of Auckland want to achieve," Judge Kirkpatrick said.

To help people understand and navigate the hearings process, the Unitary Plan office has produced a 'How To' guide and YouTube video, organised drop-in clinics, redesigned the website and produced a spreadsheet to help submitters identify which hearing topics their submissions are linked to.

The draft plan attracted 9500 initial submissions and 3500 further submissions.

So far, hearings have focused on procedural and administrative matters. Tomorrow the panel will begin hearings on the regional policy statement - a high level document that promotes the sustainable management of the natural and physical resources of the Auckland region.

Judge Kirkpatrick said the panel was working towards a deadline of July 2016 to make recommendations to the Auckland Council.

He said the panel believed it was feasible to meet the deadline, but if a particular topic was to generate a large amount of debate then it was possible the deadline could potentially not be met.

Under legilsation, the panel can ask for an extension from the Minister of the Environment.

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