How we assess your resource consent application

Find out how we make a decision on resource consent applications and how to appeal a decision.

What happens once you've applied for a resource consent

When you (or the professional working on your behalf) lodge your application, we assess the application under Section 88 of the RMA to make sure that you have supplied all the information we need.

If we think your application has all the information we need, we start processing your application as soon as we can.

To do this we:

  1. Calculate your application fee. This needs to be paid when you give us your application.
  2. Send you an invoice that includes payment options. The statutory clock doesn't start until you've paid the deposit invoice.
  3. Prepare a report on your application and decide whether it should be notified. This decision depends on:
    • the type of resource consent you’ve applied for
    • the effects of your proposal (no effects, minor effects or its effects are more than minor)
    • whether you have written approvals from affected parties
    • what the District Plan says about the notification of your proposed activity.

Section 88 of the RMA

What happens if information is missing

If you don't give us all the information we need to assess your resource consent application, we can:

  • reject your application. We'll return it to you within 10 working days.
  • put your application on hold and ask you to provide more information.

Notification options

Our notification options are non-notified, limited notification, and public notification.

We don't require your application to be notified because:

  1. there are no effects or the effects are less than minor; and
  2. you've received written approvals from the affected parties (i.e. your neighbours).

  • We write to any affected parties you don’t have written approval from and invite them to make submissions on your application. This is generally done before we check if you've supplied all the information we need.
  • They have 20 working days from the day they receive our letter to make a submission.

  • If we consider that the effects of your proposal are significant enough to invite the wider public to make submissions, we call for submissions by advertising the application publicly.
  • You’re also entitled to ask us to fully notify your application.

A hearing is a public meeting where a Council Hearings Committee hears evidence for and against your application, and decides whether to approve or decline it.

This is generally happens within 20 working days of having lodged your application and complied with any requirements to provide more information and neighbour approvals.

Your Resource Consent will have conditions that you need to adhere to. You'll be given a chance to review these conditions before resource consent is granted.

Once your application has been approved, we let you know and provide you with a copy of our decision in writing.  When you have approval, you can start your project.

You have the right to object to a decision we've made about your application or condition of your consent if it was:

  • not publicly or limited notified, or
  • notified, but:
    • no submissions were received; or
    • no submitters wished to be heard; or
    • submissions that were received were withdrawn.

Note: You have the right to object to extra costs we may charge for processing your application.

If your consent was notified and submissions were received and heard, you must appeal to the Environment Court.

You must lodge your appeal with the Environment Court within 15 working days from when you received the decision on your consent.

Appeals to the Environment Court can be made by:

  • the applicant or consent holder
  • anyone who made a submission.

You can appeal a decision made on all or part of the consent but you can't appeal a decision for a boundary activity.

Lodge your appeal