Applying for a resource consent

The RMA requires local councils to ensure effects on the environment are managed in a sustainable way. Councils create plans under the RMA that set out objectives, policies and rules to manage activities that may effect the environment. These plans set out the activities that require a resource consent, and those that are permitted (and don’t need a resource consent).

In summary, the process for applying for a resource consent is:

1. You have an idea...

2. Talk to the council and check the regional or district plan in your area. The council will tell you whether you need a resource consent for the activity you are proposing, what type of consent you need, and what information you need to provide. See Applying for a Resource Consent.

Once you’ve learned you need to apply for a resource consent you need to start preparing your application.

Stage 1: Preparing your application (information gathering)

3. Get the application forms from your council or use our version of an application for resource consent (RTF document 39 KB).

You may wish to contract a resource management or planning consultant to help with your information gathering including identifying if resource consent is required, help with any consultation or help in preparing your assessment of environmental effects (AEE).

4. Identify who might be interested in or affected by your proposed activity. You may like to talk to those people about your application to help the process run smoothly and help identify potential effects. See Consultation for Resource Consent Applicants.

5. Complete an assessment of environmental effects for your proposal. See Applying for a Resource Consent or A Guide to Preparing a Basic Assessment of Environmental Effects.

Stage 2: Lodging your application (the council considers your application)

6. The council will check your application is complete and that you have paid your application fee and let you know if anything more is needed.

7. The council determines the scale and effects of the proposed activity and any affected parties. It decides whether the application should be publicly notified, notified only to affected parties (limited notification) or non-notified. See Applying for a Resource Consent.

8. If the application is publicly notified then anybody can make a submission on the application.

The council might decide to notify the application only to those persons it considers to be affected (limited notification). Only those persons notified by the council can make a submission on the application in this situation.

9. The council may hold a hearing if you or a submitter requests one. See Appearing at a Resource Consent Hearing. A pre-hearing meeting may also be held to sort out issues before a formal hearing.

Stage 3: The decision (your resource consent is approved or declined)

10. You will get a letter in the mail telling you whether your application has been approved or declined.

11. If the consent is approved, it will often have conditions on the way the activity must be carried out. If the consent is declined, or if you don't like its conditions, you can object to the council or appeal to the  Environment Court. See Your Guide to the Environment Court.

12. You can start work after the 15-day appeals period if no appeals have been lodged, or after any appeals have been settled.

You can also view a simplified visual diagram of this process:

• Visual diagram of process as GIF image (87 KB)
• Visual diagram of process as PDF (368 KB)