The Sustainable Management of Historic Heritage guidance series aims to assist local authorities, owners of heritage places, iwi and hapu, and other stakeholders in the protection and conservation of historic heritage under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) and other related resource management and planning legislation.

The term 'sustainable management' is adopted to encompass the concept of sustainability or the responsibility to maintain and care for the natural and physical environment. Historic heritage should be managed in a sustainable manner to meet the needs of present and future generations and to avoid adverse effects on the environment. Sustainable management may include promoting adaptive uses of heritage places.

In 2004, the NZHPT published Heritage Management Guidelines for Resource Management Practitioners. This guideline provided general information on the legislative framework, and a management framework for heritage management under the RMA including resource consent applications, archaeological sites, non-regulatory methods, and management of heritage places of significance to Maori.

The Sustainable Management of Historic Heritage guidance series should be accompanied by this 2004 guideline. Both documents replace the original Cultural Heritage Planning Manual circulated to local authorities by NZHPT in 1992.

The Guidelines

The guidelines provide non-statutory direction on historic heritage issues and legislation, particularly the RMA, Building Act 2004, and the Overseas Investment Act 2005. They outline the 'position' of the NZHPT on a particular issue at the time of writing. A key aspect of the guidelines is best practice or model heritage provisions for RMA regional policy statements, regional plans and district plans. The guidance highlights the important role of these policy statements and plans in managing historic heritage in New Zealand.

It is emphasised that the guidelines are not 'cast in stone' and the NZHPT welcomes feedback and dialogue on the guidelines. They will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure the guidance remains up-to-date and relevant. Currently, the guidelines cover the following topics (downloadable here as pdfs):

1. Regional policy statements (383kb)
2. Regional plans (595kb)
3. District plans (785kb)
4. Resource consents (322kb)
5. State of the Environment Reporting - historic heritage (322kb)
6. Building Act 2004 (496kb)
7. Insurance and Heritage properties (310kb)
8. Overseas Investment Act 2005 (420kb)
9. Earthquake-prone policies prepared under the Building Act 2004 (362kb)

Discussion Papers

The discussion papers are starting points for the development of best practice guidance. The discussion paper status recognises that further development and research is required and the issues involved are complex. With further research and consultation, the NZHPT may be able to shift some of the discussion paper topics to guideline status in the future. As with the guidelines, the NZHPT welcomes feedback and dialogue on the discussion papers. Currently the discussion papers cover the following topics (downloadable pdfs):

1. Principles and issues (643kb)
2. Assessment of effects on the historic environment (278kb)
3. Heritage landscape values (632kb)
4. Urban design (572kb)
5. Crown Pastoral Tenure Review (590kb)
6. Heritage at risk: Addressing the issue of demolition by neglect of historic heritage in New Zealand (590kb)
7. Wind farms and historic heritage (210kb)

Information Sheets

The information sheets contain easy-to-access key information for the sustainable management of historic heritage. The information sheets cover topics of historic heritage principles, heritage identification criteria, RMA regional and district plan heritage schedules, model heritage rules for RMA regional and district plans, and assessing the impacts on historic heritage. Further information can be obtained from consulting the Sustainable Management of Historic Heritage guidelines and discussion papers. Currently, the information sheets cover the following topics (downloadable pdfs):

1. Principles for assessing appropriate or inappropriate subdivision, use and development on historic heritage values. (89kb)
2. Assessment criteria to assist in the identification of historic heritage. (95kb)
3. A framework for historic heritage. (93kb)
4. Historic heritage schedules in RMA regional and district plans. (91kb)
5. Model heritage rules for RMA regional and district plans (historic buildings). (94kb)
6. Model heritage rules for RMA regional and district plans (historic sites). (93kb)
7. Model heritage rules for RMA regional and district plans (places and areas of significance to Maori). (90kb)
8. Model heritage rules for RMA regional and district plans (historic areas). (89kb)
9. Preparing a heritage impact assessment. (99kb)
10. Archaeological site advice notices for RMA plans and consents. (92kb)
11. Repairs and maintenance of historic heritage. (111kb)
12. Alterations and additions to historic buildings. (106kb)
13. Relocation of historic buildings. (102kb)
14. Partial demolition of historic buildings. (100kb)
15. Demolition of historic buildings. (100kb)
16. Assessing impacts on surroundings associated with historic heritage. (105kb)
17. Assessing impacts on historic areas. (101kb)
18. Assessing impacts on places and areas of significance to Maori. (95kb)
19. Assessing impacts on historic sites, including archaeological sites. (99kb)
20. Assessing impacts of subdivision on historic heritage. (96kb)
21. Assessing impacts of advertising signs on historic heritage. (96kb)
22. Assessing impacts of designations on historic heritage. (96kb)
23. Model heritage rules for RMA regional coastal plans. (101kb)
24. Monitoring the state of historic heritage, sample form. (108kb)

This guidance series does not yet cover all the major issues relating to historic heritage. For example, the series does not include non-regulatory incentives and methods such as education, financial incentives, and provision of technical advice and training of Council officers. Information about non-regulatory incentives is available from the Ministry for the Environment's Quality Planning website and the NZHPT's 2004 Heritage Management Guidelines for Resource Management Practitioners.

The NZHPT also provides local authorities with information about the NZHPT Register, heritage orders and heritage covenants in the NZHPT Annual Information folder. Please contact the Registrar, NZHPT, for further information about the NZHPT Annual Information.

Feedback & Comments

The NZHPT welcomes any feedback and comment on the Sustainable Management of Historic Heritage guidance series. Comments may be provided to information@historic.org.nz (attention: Sustainable Heritage Guidance)

Available on CD

The Sustainable Management of Historic Heritage guidance series is available on CD for $10 each.

To order a copy of the CD, please contact NZHPT's National Office on 0800 HERITAGE (0800 437 482), 04 472 4341 or email information@historic.org.nz

Rolling Review of Sustainable Management of Historic Heritage Guidance Series

To ensure this guidance series remains updated and relevant, the NZHPT has initiated a rolling review programme. The rolling review involves the existing guidelines, discussion papers and information sheets and the publication of new guides and information sheets.

Updated and new guides and information sheets will be posted on the NZHPT's website for consultation. Most documents will remain as drafts for consultation for a three month period. Following this period, the updated and new guides and information sheets will be finalised and formally incorporated into the guidance series.

Please refer to the Currently Consulting On section for more information, or contact Robert McClean, Senior Heritage Policy Advisor on (04) 472 4341 or email.

New Guide: Providing for Physical Access to Heritage Building

The first new guide to be completed as part of the rolling review programme provides for Physical Access to Heritage Places (pdf, 6 mb).  This non-statutory guide provides a range of objectives, policies and methods to achieve improved physical access to heritage places with regard to planning for physical access, achieving physical access and conservation of heritage places. The guide also contains an overview of relevant access and heritage legislation and sources of further information and guidance. The NZHPT wishes to acknowledge the following persons and organisations who have provided assistance and advice in the preparation of this guidance: Bill Wrightson, Wrightson Associates; Richard Cullingworth, Chartered Building Surveyor and Access Consultant, Auckland; Eric Martin of the NSW Fire, Access and Series Advisory Panel; Elisha Long, NSW Heritage Office, Department of Planning, Sydney; CCS Disability Action and the Barrier Free New Zealand Trust. If you are a holder of the 2007 hard copy folder of the guidance series, please colour print this guide and add it to the folder. Please note that the new guide does not have yet have a number. Renumbering of the series will occur as the rolling review is progressed. If you would prefer a hard copy of this document, please contact Robert McClean , Senior Heritage Policy Adviser, NZHPT National Office, tel (04) 470 8053 (DDI).