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Seeking Resource Consent

Thursday 25 August 2011, 3:42PM

By Marlborough District Council

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MARLBOROUGH

A resource consent is the permission needed from the Council to undertake something that would have an effect on the environment and isn’t currently allowed - without consent - under the rules that govern the use of Marlborough’s resources.

If your activity might affect the environment, you must first ensure it is allowed under the legal requirements of the Resource Management Act. It must also comply with any national environment standard and our local resource management plans.

Central government legislation means that seeking a resource consent has become an increasingly complex matter and is no longer a do-it-yourself exercise. It also sometimes means that a seemingly small job may require a resource consent. Advice from a professional with expertise in the specific subject of the application is recommended.

There are different types of resource consents applying to different types of activity:

  • Land use
  • Subdivision
  • Water use
  • Discharging contaminants
  • Using coastal water space

Activities are defined as permitted or controlled, restricted discretionary or discretionary, non-complying or prohibited.

A resource consent is not required for a permitted activity. No application may be made for a prohibited activity. The other classes of activity do require consent.

A subcommittee of Council, or sometimes an independent commissioner, considers these consent applications.

One of the biggest causes of delay to hearing cases is created by applicants filing an incomplete application – lacking all the required information or supporting documents.
Sometimes applications involve extremely complex issues. They may involve Council staff in many hours of work.

The planning subcommittee may visit the site, take professional advice and sometimes call for an independent report in cases where information is needed to help reach a decision on the application.