To download a Resource Consent Application form, please click on the link below:
Resource Consent Planning
Any development, subdivision or other proposed use of a site must be assessed against the District Plan. The District Plan contains rules about different types of activities in different parts of the district. Anything not permitted by the Plan requires you to obtain a resource consent.
The Council delegates the processing of most resource consents to its Resource Consent Planning Team, which forms a part of the Environmental Services Department of Council. The Resource Consent Planning Team focuses on the implementation and enforcement of the Thames-Coromandel District Plan. Their role is to provide information and guidance related to resource consent applications and enquiries on the District Plan and the Resource Management Act 1991.
The planning team is led by the Development Planning Manager and includes a number of Resource Consent Planners, a Planning Technician, a Planning Assistant and several Resource Consent Administrators. In addition, resource consent applications may also be contracted out to independent Planning Consultants from time to time, depending on current in-house workloads and the complexity of consent applications.
Notified resource consents are deliberated on by Council’s Judicial Committee and/or by an Independent Planning Commissioner.
Please note that the District Plan itself is developed and administered by the Policy and Planning Department. Accordingly proposals for plan changes, submissions on proposed plan changes and enquiries about specific District Plan interpretations are best directed to staff members of that team.
Planning Information on this Website
This website offers a range of planning information relating to the resource consent process as well as information addressing common planning enquiries and questions.
When do I need a Resource Consent?
A resource consent is required if you are proposing to build a structure and/or carry out an activity that does not comply with one or more of the ‘permitted activity’ rules in the District Plan. Any proposed activity or structure requires a land use or subdivision consent unless it is a permitted activity and fully complies with all the relevant rules in the District Plan.
In order to establish whether you will require a resource consent for what you are doing, you will need to know what the activity status of your proposal would be under the provisions of the District Plan. In order to find this out you will need to know the address and zoning of the land on which the activity is to be carried out.
If you have a Land Information Report (LIM) this will identify the zoning of your property. Or you could look up your site on the planning maps. Alternatively you can contact Council’s Customer Services to ask them what the zoning is, as this information is held on Council’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS). You can also speak to your resource management professional (a planning consultant or surveyor) who can usually obtain this information for you.
The District Plan divides activities into categories as follows:
- Permitted Activity
- Controlled Activity
- Restricted Discretionary Activity
- Discretionary Activity
- Non-complying Activity
- Prohibited Activity
The differences between them are:
- Whether or not a resource consent application is required, and
- How the application is assessed by Council, whether the consent may be refused and what conditions could be imposed on the consent.
How can I check what sort of Resource Consent I need and what Information is required?
It is often helpful to schedule a pre-application meeting with a Council Planning Officer, particularly if you are unfamiliar with the consent process. You can organise an appointment with Council’s by contacting Customer Services. (See Planning Enquiries).
You will need to bring with you:
- Preliminary site plans, floor plans and elevation drawings for the activity.
- The road address of the land where the proposed activity would occur.
The matters that can be addressed in such a meeting are:
- Confirm whether you will actually need a resource consent by determining the activity status under the District Plan.
- Provide the relevant assessment criteria of the District Plan that need to be addressed by you in your application.
- Determine the fee required to lodge the application.
- Identify the information requirements to accompany the application.
- Explain the general resource consent process and the statutory timeframes for processing the application.
- Identify properties and people that may be affected by your proposal.
Information Requirements
Usually, the better you can explain your proposal - the how, when, where, what and why - the easier it will be to make a determination on your application. The obvious information requirements are certificates of title, site plans, elevation plans etc. Please refer to Resource consent information requirements form 3 (191KB) for a more detailed list.
Under the provisions of the Resource Management Act 1991, a Council may only grant a resource consent if it is satisfied that the effects on the environment actually or potentially resulting from a proposal will be no more than minor. As the RMA legislation is ‘effects based’ it is important that the Council has a very good understanding of the likely environmental effects of your proposal. Accordingly, every resource consent application must be accompanied by an assessment of environmental effects (AEE). For more detailed information on how to prepare an AEE refer to Assessment of Environmental Effects form 4 (167KB)
How do I lodge my Resource Consent Application?
You can deliver your application to any of Council’s Offices in person, or you can mail the documents to:
Environmental Services
Thames-Coromandel District Council
Private Bag
Thames
If posting the application, you can include a cheque for the lodgement fee. If dropping it in to Council, Customer Services Staff can provide you a receipt for payment at the front desk.
What happens when the Application arrives at Council?
Once received by Council, the application is checked by a Planning Officer to make sure that all the required information and the appropriate fixed charge application fee have been submitted. If any information is missing or inadequate, Council can reject the application by returning all the submitted documents to you. The Council may do this pursuant to Section 88 of the RMA. When an application is rejected in this manner it will always be accompanied by a letter stating the additional information/payment that is required.
If the information and fee payment is appropriate, the consent will be lodged and you will be sent an acknowledgement letter outlining the consent reference number and the name of the Handling Officer. Processing of the application then begins in the sense that the Council now has 20 working days to make a decision on the application.
Can my Application be publicly notified?
Your application will be notified if the Council, after due consideration of the information submitted, cannot be satisfied that the environmental effects of your proposal will be no more than minor. The Council must also consider the effect of the proposal on affected persons.
The public notification and limited notification processes are outlined in further detail in the Notification of resource consent applications and hearings form 5 (171KB)
How long will it take?
The Council has 20 working days to process your application. This time-frame is often put on hold or extended when the Council asks for further information (pursuant to Section 92 of the RMA) or if the Council gives notice that it is extending the usual time frame (pursuant to Section 37 of the RMA).
If the application is to be publicly notified this time frame is extended quite considerably to allow for interested parties to make submissions (20 working days); thereafter (25 working days) to hold a hearing and to carry out deliberations (15 working days) before a decision is issued. The decision is issued in writing and a signed copy is released and mailed to the applicant (or their agent if specified on the application form) once any outstanding application fees have been settled.
Further Information on Resource Consents:
If you require assistance with the preparation of your resource consent application please contact the Customer Services at Council.
Please click on link below to download this information:
Resource Consents
Links to relevant Ministry for the Environment Publications for this topic:
Your Guide to the Resource Management Act: An essential reference for people affected by or interested in the RMA
Applying for a Resource Consent (From ‘An Everyday Guide to the RMA’ Series).
Applying for a Resource Consent.