Plan Change 2 consenting information
Plan Change 2 was proposed by Horizons Regional Council to improve the workability of the One Plan provisions that manage existing intensive farming land uses (dairy farming, commercial vegetable growing, cropping and intensive sheep and beef) in target water management areas.
The Environment Court released its final decision on Plan Change 2 in June 2026. The decision confirmed a consenting pathway for existing intensive farming land uses (aka IFLU) within targeted catchments. Central government subsequently legislated to ensure the consenting pathway aligned with wider resource management reform.
Update - 20 August 2026 Central government announcement
Central government made an announcement on 19 August 2026 regarding changes to Plan Change 2. These changes relate to prescribed nitrogen discharge reductions and consenting pathways, taking into account the fact the country is moving to a new consenting system as a part of resource management law reform.
Farmers and growers will still be required to get resource consents and make ongoing environmental improvements, but the prescribed nitrogen reductions will no longer apply.
We are working through the detail of the announcement. However, we have already updated the Summary of Consenting Requirements section to reflect the announcement.
Quick questions
Who does this effect?
The One Plan regulates intensive farming land uses (aka IFLU). IFLU include dairy farming, commercial vegetable growing, cropping and irrigated sheep and beef farming.
The One Plan requires consent for new IFLU throughout the region, to ensure any nitrogen leaching is limited.
In the targeted catchments, consents are required for existing IFLU to limit nitrogen leaching.
We are going to put either a map or a link to an interactive map here once we have it prepared to show which catchments are target catchments.
What's happening now?
We are updating the One Plan in accordance with the Environment Court's final directions, and will do so to reflect legislative change from central government. You can read the final provisions here. On 12 August, the Strategy & Policy Committee recommended that Council make Plan Change 2 operative as soon as practicable. Council subsequently accepted this recommendation on 25 August 2026.
What is Horizons doing to help?
We're working on a range of material, including guidance material and application forms, for those who will need to apply for a consent for existing IFLU in targeted catchments. We'll add this information to this webpage as and when it's ready, so be sure to check back regularly.
We're also engaging with industry groups to ensure farmers and growers in target catchments are well informed of what will be required.
Summary of consenting requirements
We are continuing to work through the implications of the changes to PC2 via legislation (soon to be the Planning Act 2026). For now, treat this as a high-level summary.
Existing IFLU in target catchments require consent if they do not already have consent.
The cumulative nitrogen leaching loss from the land will be less than or equal to the maximum values specificed in Table 12 (i.e. the Year 10 and Year 20 maximum values), or
The nitrogen leaching loss from land will be managed through the implementation of good management practices (as defined in the One Plan), with these practices to be outlined in a nutrient management plan.
The growing area for existing commercial vegetable growing activities must not exceed the baseline commercial growing area to be a controlled activity. The definition of 'baseline commercial growing area' has been amended through the recent legislated changes to PC2.
Applicants should take advice from farming and horticultural specialists to identify the management practices required to support a consent application.
The 'good management practices' controlled activity pathway is only available for the first year after PC2 becomes operative. Applications lodged later than one year after the date PC2 becomes operative must meet the limits within Table 12 or will require consent as a discretionary activity.
Applications that do not meet the limits in Table 12, or do not comply with the 'good management practices' controlled activity pathway, will need to apply for a discretionary activity consent. An applicant will need to demonstrate how nutrient leaching is being reduced to the maximum extent reasonably practicable in the shortest feasible timeframe. Alternatively, a discretionary consent can also be sought to transition to a non-intensive farming land use within five years.
PC2 provisions
Once provisions are made operative as part of the One Plan, they will be available on the One Plan page.
Until then, the ‘decisions version’ of the provisions are available via the downloadable PDF below. These are the plan provisions directed by the Environment Court.
PC2 provisions
Overseer updates
When the Overseer model is updated, Table 12 (previously known as Table 14.2) will be recalibrated to ensure its cumulative nitrogen leaching maximums match the latest Overseer output data for the reference files used to develop the table. This recalibration is informed by methodology within schedules included in the One Plan with Plan Change 2, and can be used to guide consent applicants on how the Overseer update has impacted cumulative nitrogen leaching maximums values.
Table 12 will be updated when there are Overseer updates change the 'Nitrogen leaching loss' numbers.
Currently, the values in these tables are those set out in the provisions finalised following the Environment Court decision. This is because there has not been an Overseer update (version change) since before the date of the Environment Court's decision.
Table 12
Cumulative nitrogen leaching maximum by Land Use Capability Class (LUC)
Period (from the year that the rule has legal effect) | LUC 1 | LUC 2 | LUC 3 | LUC 4 | LUC 5 | LUC 6 | LUC 7 | LUC 8 |
Year 1 | 46 | 41 | 30 | 22 | 19 | 19 | 10 | 3 |
Year 5 | 41 | 38 | 26 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 8 | 3 |
Year 10 | 40 | 33 | 24 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 8 | 3 |
Year 20 | 38 | 32 | 23 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 8 | 3 |
Consent applications
We are working on guidance material and application forms for specific IFLU activities. We'll put that information here as and when it is ready.
Consenting
Existing IFLU in target catchments
If you are an existing IFLU activity within a targeted catchment, you will need to start preparing information to apply for a consent.
We recommend farmers and growers start gathering information for consent applications, and obtain advice around the requirements for consent applications. This will enable farmers and growers to make informed decisions about the available consenting pathways, including those which are only available for 12 months from the date Plan Change 2 is made operative.
While we will provide some guidance regarding application forms/templates and information requirements, technical advice will be required. Discretionary activity applicants will require the assistance of a RMA specialist and/or advisors with relevant technical expertise depending on the range of effects anticipated from the activity.
*If you need help finding an appropriate farm advisor, please contact us or your industry representatives.
Existing consented IFLU
If you are an existing intensive land use activity with resource consent, we encourage you to review your existing consent and ensure it reflects current farming activities. It may be that farming practices or farming structures have changed over time. We encourage you to get in touch with either your farm consultant or industry representative to seek advice on your existing consent, current farm practices and whether there needs to be any changes to your existing consent. Advice should be obtained at an early stage to inform decision-making about the different consenting pathways available (including timeframes).
What should all existing IFLU in targeted catchments be doing?
Our advice to all existing IFLU farmers and growers in the target catchments is:
Start engaging with industry groups (e.g. DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb NZ, Horticulture NZ, Federated Farmers) now. Many of these groups have been active throughout the Plan Change 2 process and should be able to give support and advice in preparing for the consenting process.
Collect as much information as possible about your current farm(s), including leaching rates. This may include previously prepared base Overseer files, stock transport records, cropping details, production records, water use and irrigation scheduling (if applicable), and fertiliser records, among other sources of information.
Begin thinking about applying for a resource consent as soon as possible.
Catchment information
We hold a variety of information about our region's catchments. This includes specific information about catchment context, challenges and values (aka CCCVs). Understanding your catchment is not only a way to better understand the environment you live in, but is a key part of preparing a strong resource consent application.
Farm information checklist
Providing complete and accurate information upfront will reduce follow-up and delays. For imported products and services and external grazing, invoices will be required for verification.
Stock numbers and movements
Opening and closing stock numbers (aligned with annual accounts, MINDA, My Herd)
Sock movements: purchases, sales, deaths, culls
Stock classes (e.g. cows, R1, R2, bulls)
Wintering and off-farm grazing details
Land area and farm system maps
Total effective farm area (hectares)
Non-productive areas excluded (e.g. lanes, yards, riparian, bush)
Management blocks (e.g. irrigated vs non-irrigated areas)
Feed inputs and cropping
Imported feed types and quantities (e.g. PKE, silage/hay, grain, maize)
On-farm cropping:
Crop types
Area (hectares)
Yields (t DM/ha)
Rotation and use (grzaed or harvested)
Cultivation practices (conventional cultivation or direct drill)
Fertiliser and nutrient inputs
Fertiliser types and application rates (kg/ha) - fertiliser company statement
Timing of applications (season/month)
Effluent nutrient inputs
Effluent management
System type and storage capacity
Application area (ha)
Application depth and frequency (bucket test and run records)
Irrigation (if applicable)
Irrigated area (ha) and system type
Application depth and frequency
Water source and consent alignment (telemetry)
Production data
Total milk solids (kg MS) - dairy company statement
Overseer FM
Current model and version used
Reporting period representative of a typical 12-month farm system
Nitrogen leaching (kg N/ha/year)
On-farm infrastructure verification (if applicable)
Feed pads, stand-off or loafing pads
Stock exclusion from waterways and wetlands
Bridges/culverts (where required)
Protection of sensitive habitats
Need help?
Our aim is to keep this process practical, consistent and as straightforward as possible. If you're unsure about any of the above, you can work with your farm consultant and/or contact us directly on freephone 0508 800 800 or by emailing consents.monitoring@horizons.govt.nz.
Key documents
We are still creating a lot of the documentation which farmers and growers with existing IFLU will need when applying for consents. Here is a list of what you can expect to see once it's ready:
Application forms
Application guidance
Completeness checklist
Overseer information and guidance
Nutrient management plan template
Guidance on reducing the leaching of nitrogen and other contaminants
A list of consultants.