Volume One 1. Introduction and communities, whether in rural, coastal or urban areas, therefore contributes significantly to social, economic and cultural wellbeing. This particular principle is important in the context of the purpose of the RMA, which states that “sustainable management of natural and physical resources means managing the use, development and protection of resources in a way or at a rate that enables people and communities to provide for their social, economic, and cultural well - be ing. ” A healthy Marlborough economy requires a healthy environment. While it is not the role of the MEP to directly address economic matters, it does have a role in supporting sustainable business and economic growth within a resource management framework. Maintaining the health of the environment will assist the primary sector in particular to continue to make a significant contribution to the Marlborough economy and the wellbeing of our communities. The productive use of natural resources relies on both the quality of the resource as well as sustainable allocation frameworks to enable use of water, land and coastal resources. It is important that the kaitiaki role of Marlborough’s tangata whenua iwi is recognised, as their perspective provides a valuable cultural input into the management of natural and physical resources. Marlborough has a long and extraordinary history of Maori settlement. As kaitiaki, Marlborough’s tangata whenua iwi have unique insights into and concepts of managing the use, development and protection of natural and physical resources. Those insights and concepts can improve the overall management of Marlborough’s land, water, air, coastal and biodiversity resources. Encouraging and supporting individual, landowner, key stakeholder and community involvement and action is critical to effective resource management. Working with others is efficient, increases the sense of ownership and responsibility and provides opportunities for innovation and feedback to the Council on issues with the implementation of the provisions of the MEP. This means the Council remains responsive to the needs and aspirations of the community. Providing the community with a streamlined and simplified resource management framework to make it easier for resource users and other interested parties to use. The Council has decided to maximise the opportunity as a unitary authority to integrate a regional policy statement with regional coastal, regional and district plan provisions. This simplified framework will be easier for resource users and other interested parties to use. Where the Council and another agency manage use of the same resource, it is important that any duplication in management is avoided. As a general principle, the Council will not regulate resource use when the use is already effectively managed by another agency. This simplifies matters for resource users transacting business and results in more efficient and effective management. Ensure that any regulation is in keeping with the scale of the activity regulated. The Council has sought to use permitted activity rules as much as possible to regulate the adverse effects of activities. However, rules requiring resource consent for an activity are necessary when there is a risk of significant adverse effects or when the effects of an activity are unknown or difficult to quantify. Clear rule triggers will remove any ambiguity about whether resource consent is required or not. Use non-regulatory methods where possible. Non-regulatory methods can be effective in helping to achieve the purpose of the RMA. They can be used proactively as they do not rely on a person proposing to undertake some form of resource use in order to be implemented. They can also be used in a way that involves the community in the process of implementation. 1 – 3