A new National Planning Statement on rural housing aims to bring clarity and consistency to the current patchwork of county-level policies.

The proposed changes would ease restrictions on one-off homes in rural areas, allowing more people to build in locations where they have family ties or work.

Factors such as prior residency and economic or social need would be given greater weight in the planning process.

The plans are expected to be brought to Cabinet in early June and will be open to public consultation and environmental assessment.