Who are requiring authorities?
A requiring authority can be:
- a Minister of the Crown
- a local authority
- a network utility operator approved under the RMA.
Only requiring authorities can designate land for public works or network utilities. It has to have financial responsibility for a project, work or operation on the designated land. Ministers of the Crown and local authorities are automatically requiring authorities. A network utility operator has to apply for requiring authority status from the Minister for the Environment.
Network utility operators include organisations that distribute gas, petroleum, geothermal energy, telecommunications, electricity, water, wastewater, or who construct or operate roads, railway lines and airports.
Regional plans, created by regional councils, manage water, air, soil, the coast and discharges. District plans, created by city or district councils, manage the use and subdivision of land. A designation applies to district plans only. If a requiring authority wants to do something that requires a resource consent from the regional council, it must apply for a resource consent like anyone else.
