Are you a rural landowner?
There are some rule changes coming that could affect what you can do with your land.
Back in 2022, the Government introduced the National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land (NPS-HPL). This set rules to protect the best farming land (called Classes 1 to 3) from being turned into housing or subdivided.
Now, in May 2025, the Government is reviewing those rules. They’re suggesting removing Class 3 land from protection so more areas can be used for housing and development. Class 3 land makes up about two-thirds of all highly productive land in New Zealand.
Classes 1 and 2 would still be protected, and new areas called Special Agricultural Areas (SAAs) may be added to protect key food-growing regions like Pukekohe and Horowhenua.
We’ll know the final outcome by the end of 2025.
If you own rural land and want to understand how these changes might affect what you can do with your property, get in touch with our team – we can help you make sense of it.
Source: Landcare Research Portal.