Thank you to everyone who has signed and supported our petition so far—your involvement is making a difference! We’re now close to reaching 60 signatures, and it’s clear that people are concerned about the DCC’s approach to heritage listings.

Recently, the DCC is proposing to list 113 properties on the heritage schedule, all without homeowner consent. This is not an isolated issue—Hamilton is currently targeting 3,000 properties for heritage listing under similar circumstances.

While heritage preservation is important, it should not come at the expense of property rights or the economic well-being of private citizens. There is a better way.

When a property is heritage-listed, homeowners often face severe financial consequences, including:

 • Increased maintenance costs: Owners are required to maintain their properties with period-specific materials, which are often costly and hard to source.
 • Restrictions on modifications: Homeowners face stringent regulations on making any changes, even those necessary for safety or modernization.
 • Decreased property value: Heritage listing can reduce a property’s value, as buyers may be deterred by the limitations and increased costs associated with ownership.
 • Insurance complications: Heritage properties can incur higher insurance premiums due to the specialized care and materials required for repairs.

City councils are misinterpreting the original intention of the Resource Management Act (RMA) due to regulatory creep. Increasingly, properties are being heritage-listed for arbitrary reasons, such as the fact that businessmen or councillors lived in them in the past. This goes against the spirit of the RMA, which was meant to balance heritage preservation with the rights of property owners.

What You Can Do

In addition to sharing the petition, you can help by contacting Chris Bishop and Simon Court and urging them to implement RMA reform immediately to save homeowners from economic hardship. We are calling for a fair process that requires homeowner consent before a property is listed, as already practiced by councils such as Hastings, Hurunui, Ruapehu, Waimate, and Waitaki.

For example, Hurunui Council justifies requiring landowner consent because heritage listing “may become onerous and costly for the landowner in the future.” This approach aligns with the RMA’s requirement to balance heritage protection with the economic well-being of people and communities.

You can contact Chris Bishop at chris.bishop@parliament.govt.nz and Simon Court at simon.court@parliament.govt.nz. Below is a template you can use when reaching out to them:

Subject: Urgent Request for RMA Reform to Protect Homeowners from Heritage Listings Without Consent

Dear [Mr. Bishop / Mr. Court],

I am writing to urge you to support immediate reform of the Resource Management Act (RMA) to protect homeowners from the economic burdens caused by heritage listings without consent.

Recently, the Dunedin City Council (DCC) announced plans to add 113 properties to the heritage schedule, all without gaining consent from the homeowners. Similarly, Hamilton is targeting 3,000 properties for heritage listing. While heritage preservation is important, the current process unfairly puts all the financial responsibility on private homeowners. These listings often come with significant costs, including:

 • Increased maintenance expenses to use period-specific materials
 • Restrictions on renovations and improvements
 • Decreased property values due to limited buyer interest
 • Higher insurance premiums due to the requirements for specialized repairs

This issue is not isolated to Dunedin or Hamilton; it is affecting property owners across New Zealand. Some councils, such as Hastings, Hurunui, Ruapehu, Waimate, and Waitaki, already require homeowner consent before listing properties. For instance, Hurunui Council justifies requiring landowner consent because the listing “may become onerous and costly for the landowner in the future,” which aligns with the RMA’s original intention to balance heritage preservation with the economic well-being of people and communities.

I strongly believe that homeowners should have a say in whether their property is heritage-listed, and I urge you to advocate for RMA reform that includes requiring homeowner consent before listing properties. This would not only protect the property rights of New Zealand citizens but would also ensure that councils are more diligent in evaluating properties for heritage value.

Please take action to implement these necessary changes and help prevent unnecessary financial hardship for homeowners across the country.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Kind regards,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Contact Information]

If you haven’t already, please also help us spread the word by sharing this petition with your friends, family, and community. The more signatures we gather, the stronger our collective voice will be in demanding a fairer process that protects both heritage and property rights.

Thank you again for your incredible support, and let’s continue pushing for a fairer solution!