building better environments.
Resource consents are a necessary evil and simply put, provide permission to use either land or resources in accordance with local authority rules and performance standards (and the Resource Management Act 1991). The rules and standards vary between each district, city, or region, and something that is permitted in one place may require a resource consent in another. Applications for resource consent can be technical, long winded, and unlike building consents are not a ‘check box’ exercise.
There is the common perception that the rules in a district/regional plan are inflexible and that anything which does not meet the rules is prohibited. This is not usually the case, and with some compromises, an application may be able to be put together to achieve your end goal.
We have experienced in-house planners who have completed consents from Northland through to Stewart Island and specialise in navigating the complicated resource consent process on your behalf. Paired with our development management services, we can provide you with a ‘turn-key’ approach to planning and delivery which ensures you get the outcome you want.
subdivision consent.
We provide advice and prepare resource consent applications to allow you to subdivide your land. Whether it be a simple boundary adjustment, cross-lease to freehold consent, 1-2 lot subdivision, or a development of 200+ lots, we can get the job done.
We work with a close knit team of consultants and specialists to provide us with the information we need to get your consent over the line. A fee proposal will be provided to you prior to us starting the project, along with pricing guidelines (we try to include cost estimates for everything so there are no surprises down the track), what to expect throughout the process and timelines for the completion of each stage of the subdivision.
Mark our words when we say that subdivision of any size is a long, expensive, and frustrating process and should only be taken on when fully informed of the costs, benefits and timelines.
Our services for subdivision include:
Preparation and submission of application to Council
Coordination of all consultants throughout the subdivision process (surveyors, civil engineers, geotechnical engineers, etc)
Answering ‘requests for further information’ from Council
Collation of information and preparation of s223/224(c) application (signoff from Council prior to title)
After your subdivision consent is granted, you will have a list of conditions to fulfil before you can get title. This will in most cases, involve the installation of services to your site. We provide development management as an additional service, where we manage all the contractors and site works for you. Feel free to ask us about this if you are interested.
land use consent.
A land use consent is required when a district or regional plan calls for it, or if you are proposing to infringe the rules of a particular plan. The uses for land use consent vary depending on what you are wanting to achieve. As do the requirements of each application. We provide services to make the consenting process as seamless as possible and have the knowledge and understanding to provide the right information to Council for the application.
Common land use consents we complete include:
Yard infringements (building too close to boundary)
Over height-buildings
Commercial buildings in Rural Zones
More than one dwelling on a property
Minor dwellings
Earthworks (district/regional Council)
Retaining walls
Archaeological digs
This is not an exhaustive list, and each Council has its own rules and intricacies. Whatever the rule, we can complete an application that suits your particular needs.
water permit.
Anyone looking to use water must first consider the regional authority rules. If your water activity is not permitted you may require a resource consent. Water permits are generally granted on a ‘first in first served’ basis, until fully allocated (in the case of a water take permit). The impacts on the surrounding environment are required to be demonstrated, and will usually require specialist input.
Water permits we prepare include:
Water take permits
Water use permits
Water permit for the construction of a dam
Water permit for diversion
We have external environmental consultants that we regularly work with, who provide technical and scientific input into our consent applications.
Early engagement with the hapu/iwi with mana whenua over the land you intend to obtain a permit for is encouraged, prior to preparation of a consent application.
discharge permit.
In any case where you are looking to discharge pollutants or contaminants to land, air or water, the rules of the regional plan in where the discharge is to occur must be considered. There are varying rules for the permitted baseline to which can be discharged, and National Environmental Standards which apply.
Discharge permits we prepare include:
Discharge to land
Discharge to air
Discharge to water
HAIL (hazardous/contaminated soil) permits
We have external environmental consultants that we regularly work with, who provide technical and scientific input into our consent applications.
Early engagement with the hapu/iwi with mana whenua over the land you intend to obtain a permit for is encouraged, prior to preparation of a consent application.
coastal permit.
If you are looking to undertake a project near or within the ocean, you may require a costal permit. A coastal permit requires an assessment be undertaken regarding the impact of your proposal on the coastal and marine environment.
Coastal permits we prepare commonly include permission for:
Construction
Deposits (i.e. seawalls)
Disturbance
Alterations
We have external environmental consultants that we regularly work with, who provide technical and scientific input into our consent applications.
Early engagement with the hapu/iwi with mana whenua over the land you intend to obtain a permit for is encouraged, prior to preparation of a consent application. If you intend to construct a structure on the foreshore or seabed, permission from the relevant hapu/iwi will be required.
feasibility study.
Prior to the commencement of a project, especially of a larger scale, it is a good idea to undertake a ‘feasibility study’ of the requirements of the Resource Management Act 1991. This can work to unearth potential issues prior to the design or commencement of a project.
A feasibility study allows for potential costs, risks, non-compliances, and issues to be discovered ‘up-front’. Key decisions can then be made with regard to the future direction of the project and whether or not to proceed.
A feasibility study is a sound and prudent investment, particularly with regard to large or complex projects.
Some of the issues we cover off in feasibility studies are:
Assessment of the proposal against the District/Regional Plans
Land use constraints in the surrounding area
Likelihood of public/limited notification
Likelihood of the proposal succeeding
Risks and Benefits
Potential mitigation measures required (if any)
Costs associated with obtaining consent and completing conditions
In some cases preliminary engineering checks may be undertaken
masterplanning.
Masterplanning is a ‘high-level’ approach to larger developments. It involves looking at the development as a whole and considering how the occupants of the development will use it. It also involves the generation of ‘design guidelines’ for a development, to ensure the highest level of amenity, privacy, and safety is achieved throughout the development process.
When preparing a masterplan we consider:
Bulk and Location
The mixture and typology of housing
Demographic of the area
Underlying zoning
Reserve demand
Streetlighting and footpaths
Transportation and pedestrian links
Crime Prevention through Environmental Design
Public utilities demand and design
We have external environmental consultants that we regularly work with, who provide technical and scientific input into our consent applications.
Early engagement with the hapu/iwi with mana whenua over the land you intend to obtain a permit for is encouraged, prior to preparation of a consent application. If you intend to construct a structure on the foreshore or seabed, permission from the relevant hapu/iwi will be required.