Guidance on Consents Process: The Consent Processing Resource

The Consent Processing Resource or CPR replaces the Template for the Quality Processing of Resource Consents. CPR intends to 'breathe life' into the processing of your council's resource consents. It is intended to help you and your council to streamline and improve the quality of your resource consent processes.

CPR outlines the key steps in the resource consent process. Each guidance note has best practice tips, information and resources such as model letters and templates.

Before you consult CPR, there may be broader resource consent policy issues you wish to address - these guidance notes are linked under supporting components.

You can apply all of CPR to your resource consent processing systems, or select specific aspects - how you resuscitate your resource consent processing is up to you!

The steps

Pre-application

Receipt of an application

Assessing the application and the assessment of environmental effects

Requesting further information

To notify or not to notify?
That is the question!

Notified and limited notified resource consent applications

Non-notified resource consents

Recommending the duration and lapse period

Resource consent conditions

Making a decision on the application

Issuing a consent

Monitoring the resource consents

Enforcement

Supporting components

Direct Referral

Consultation

Reading and interpreting certificates of title

Certificates of Compliance

Consent processing - administration

Setting charges for processing and monitoring consents

Administering resource consent charges

The use of commissioners

Contracting out resource consent processing

Frequently asked questions about cultural impact assessments

Alternative dispute resolution

Frequently Asked Questions on Iwi Management Plans

Guidance on council engagement with tangata whenua for RMA processes - a Ngai Tahu case study

 

back to top

Disclaimer

Please note that information and advice provided in this resource is intended as a guide and should not be taken as providing a definitive interpretation of the RMA or case law. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided in this resource is accurate and complies with the law. However, the information and advice are, by necessity, generalised and councils should bear in mind that it may not be appropriate to follow the guidelines in every case.

back to top

Feedback

If you have any feedback, contributions or questions, please email admin@qualityplanning.org.nz.

back to top

Acknowledgements

The following guidance notes were prepared by Carey Barnett from Boffa Miskell Ltd. They are an update of 'A Template for Quality Processing of Resource Consents' which was initially prepared for the Ministry for the Environment and Local Government New Zealand by Tonkin and Taylor Ltd.

The guidance notes were peer reviewed by:

• Irene Clarke, Wellington City Council
• Andrew Hammond, Timaru District Council
• Gina Sweetman, Ministry for the Environment (formerly Auckland City Council).

The Consent Processing Resource guidance notes were completed in June 2004 and have been updated to reflect changes as a result of RMAA 2009.