Have your say: Proposed Resource Management Act Fees & Charges 2026/27

Published on February 17, 2026

Horowhenua District Council is asking the community for feedback on proposed Resource Management Act fees and charges for the 2026/27 financial year. Consultation opened on 

17 February 2026 and runs through until 17 March 2026, with any approved changes taking effect from 1 July 2026. 

Fees and charges help ensure the cost of Council services is fairly shared between those who use them and the wider community. Feedback is being sought specifically on Resource Management Act fees and charges, which are required to be consulted on. 

Resource Management Act activities are funded through a combination of user charges and rates, reflecting both the private benefit to applicants and the broader benefit to the community. For example, processing resource consents supports individual development while also helping to manage environmental effects and uphold community expectations around land use and development. 

Council is proposing some changes to planning and consent fees under the Resource Management Act. The goal is to make sure ratepayers are not paying more than their fair share of these costs. 

Most fees will stay the same. Where fees are increasing, the average rise is 5.7%. Three new fees are also proposed. Two of these would be optional and would help fund a fire appliance for growing areas that do not have access to a piped water supply. The third is a new processing system fee. 

Ordinarily, fees and charges are consulted on as part of Council’s Annual Plan process. However, as there are no significant or material changes proposed through the 2026/27 Annual Plan beyond what was consulted on in the Long Term Plan 2024-2044, a targeted consultation is being undertaken for Resource Management Act fees and charges only.  

Please see our website or drop in to our service centres for more information, including the full list of proposed fees and charges for 2026/27. 

Fees and charges will be set alongside the adoption of the Annual Plan. For more information and to have your say, visit Let's Kōrero - Proposed Resource Management Act Fees & Charges for 2026/27 page.