Resource Consents

The Resource Management Act provides a framework for working through projects which are not listed as permitted activities under the District Plan. Often minor work will get consent without having to be publicly notified. In some cases the NZ Historic Places Trust become involved in which case their input needs to be considered in the application.

Many old homes do not comply with current planning regulations but are allowed under ‘existing use rights’ however even a small extension can create new breaches of height plane restrictions or boundary setbacks. Generally neighbours permission is required as part of the consent application along with drawings of the proposed project. The whole Resource consent process may seem daunting at first but often is very simple and more of a procedural exercise.