Sustainable Management of Urban Soils: The New Zealand Approach

Abstract

This chapter considers the management of New Zealand’s soils and in particular the impact of urbanisation on high-value soils. The chapter first provides an overview of New Zealand’s geographic, climatic and demographic background and the historical impact of agricultural development, industry and human settlement. Early regulation to protect natural water and soil is then examined, along with more recent planning and environmental management measures. Significant environmental law and policy reforms since the mid-1980s are then described in detail and evaluated in terms of their contribution to sustainable soil management and the protection of high-quality soils in or adjacent to urban areas. The various roles and responsibilities of the three levels of government—central, regional and municipal—are examined, and the use of policy and planning instruments to achieve sustainable management of soils are discussed. In some cases, litigation has arisen between landowners and planning authorities about the appropriate location (or re-location) of the urban–rural boundary. Property owners often seek the right to develop their land by having it included within the urban zone or through the grant of an exemption from rural development restrictions. A representative group of recent cases that illustrate the factors and criteria that are applied by the courts in resolving such conflicts are discussed. The chapter concludes with an assessment of the effectiveness of New Zealand’s soil management regime and its possible application to other jurisdictions.