Some council services will be unavailable over the Christmas and New Year break.
Check if you need to apply or order before Friday 19 December 2025.
We offer individually tailored pre-application guidance for projects that need a resource consent.
You may not need to request pre-application advice because the resource consent information you need is already on our website.
You can also view the Ministry for the Environment's online resource consent guide.
For basic resource consent questions, see our Pre-application online resources index for an extensive range of online resources. There is a cost to requesting guidance from us, so it is important to check this index before applying.
For general information and advice on resource consent processes and planning legislation, you can contact us and ask to speak to a Planning Information Advisor.
Planning Information Advisors are available from 8:30am to 12pm.
Contact us on:
Before requesting pre-application guidance, complete our checklist to see if your project is eligible.
If your project is eligible and you wish to request pre-application guidance, you will need to attach this completed document to the online form.
Depending on the nature of your project, you may need more than one resource consent approval.
We can advise on the approvals you will need for your project and in what order to approach them.
We provide you with information and guidance to ensure you have a good understanding of what needs to be done before you submit your application. This could save you time and money later.
We can help you:
Getting advice from a professional can substantially reduce the likelihood of delays during processing.
Due to the technical nature of consents, we encourage you to get professional input into your application from a resource management consultant, planner, architect, engineer, or draughtsperson.
We regard the content of all pre-application meetings as confidential. However, if we receive an Official Information Request (OIA), this information could be released.
This is assessed on a case-by-case basis.
You will need to provide:
We only accept online applications for resource consent pre-application guidance.
If there is no way to provide digital copies of your plans or documents, visit one of our libraries with council services. We can scan in your documents for an additional charge.
You will need to pay a deposit when you request resource consent pre-application guidance.
You will be invoiced for costs that exceed the initial fee paid.
| Description | Deposit |
|---|---|
| Resource consent advice | $1,000 |
Fees are indicative only and are subject to change.
A regulatory support officer will contact you within five working days to discuss your request.
It is important that we have a clear understanding of your project so we can make sure the right specialists are involved.
If it has been more than five working days since you applied, contact us on 09 301 0101.
If you are not sure whether you need pre-application guidance: