Processing your Building Application

Tukanga mai tō tono hanga whare

Receiving and Checking your Application

When we receive your Building Consent Application, it is checked to make sure the form is completely filled in and that the necessary information is attached. This is not a technical check. If the application is complete, it is accepted and assigned a unique identification number in the Council’s system. Take note of this number as a reference for future communications related to your application.

Under the Building Act 2004, all building consents are required to be processed within 20 working days, except for MultiProof consents where 10 working days apply.

During the Christmas and New Year period, from 20 December until 10 January each year, no consents will be processed.

Please note that building work cannot begin until a Building Consent has been issued. In some circumstances a Resource Consent may be required also, in which case, building work cannot begin until both a Resource Consent has been granted and a Building Consent issued. You will be notified of the requirement to obtain a Resource Consent from our Planning team during the Processing of your Application and also via the “Certificate Attached to Project Information Memorandum” (Form 4) within your issued Building Consent documentation pack.

Consent Processing

During the processing of your building consent application, a check is made of Council services, including water/sewer connection, Council mains and vehicle access, and that your project is a deemed permitted activity under the District Plan. Finally, section 49 of the Building Act 2004 requires that we must be ‘satisfied on reasonable grounds’ that your plans comply with the Building Act 2004 and its associated Regulations, and the Building Code.

If we require more information, we will contact you. The processing time is paused until all the requested information is provided to the Council.

In some cases, building consent applications may need to be checked by external specialists such as civil, structural or mechanical engineering, or Fire and Emergency New Zealand. Where this happens, there will be extra costs associated with your application.

Producer Statements

A Producer Statement from a suitably qualified person may be acceptable as a supporting document for your application. Click here for more information and Producer Statement templates.

Producer Statements may be offered as part of the design process and can also be used for specialist construction purposes such as pile driving, and structural or mechanical engineering. A peer review may be required in support of the Producer Statement

Notification of Approval/Refusal

Once your application has been approved, and the Council is satisfied the building work meets the requirements of the Building Code, your application will be granted and ready for issue. The processing clock is stopped. All costs associated with the consent are totalled and an invoice will be sent to you. Upon payment of the invoice your approved plans and building consent are issued.

The approved documentation is available for download from the simpli portal as soon as the consent is issued.

The approved documentation consists of stamped approved plans, a list of required inspections, the building consent containing Advice Notes Consent Conditions (if any). It is important that you and your agent read and understand all the conditions before commencing work.

In situations where we may consider to refuse to issue a building consent, we will liaise with the agent and offer the opportunity to provide more information to the application to ensure we are satisfied that the proposed work meets the requirements of the building code.

Conditions on Building Consents

The Building Act 2004 allows only the following conditions to be imposed on building consents where relevant:

Section 90 – Inspections by agents authorised by the Building Consent Authority
Section 67 – Waivers and modifications of the Building Code
Sections 72 and 73 – Building on land subject to Natural Hazards
Section 75 – Construction of building on 2 or more allotments noting that the relevant allotments must not be transferred or leased except in conjunction with the other(s) of those allotments
Section 113 – Building with specified intended lives, noting that they must be altered, removed or demolished on or before a specified date

How much will it cost?

Click here to find out about Building Consent Fees.

What now?

Work must start within 12 months of the date that the building consent was issued. We recommend that you notify us when work has commenced.

If no inspections are recorded within 10 months, we will send you a reminder letter. If we do not receive a response, we will send a 12-month letter confirming that your building consent has lapsed. You will need to submit a new application if you intend to continue with the project.

All building work should be completed within two years from the date that the building consent was issued. You may apply for an extension within this time if work is delayed.

Amendments or Minor Variations to a consent

An amendment means a change made to the original building plans or specifications after your consent is granted.

A Minor Variation is a change that has little impact on compliance with the building code and may be approved by a building control officer on site. Examples include a change of fixtures or positioning of door or non-structural walls.

A Major Variation or Amendment is a significant change to the original plans that falls outside the scope of the original application. A formal amendment application must be made with revised plans and specifications submitted for approval prior to the work being carried out. Examples include additional footprint or increase in floor area, a change to the construction method or significant structural changes to the layout.

A Building Consent Amendment application is treated in the same way as a Building Consent.

Click here to apply for an Amendment to a Building Consent.