Me pēhea nei tā mātou arotake i tō tono whakaaetanga ā-rawa How we assess your resource consent application

Once we receive your resource consent application, we will check it is complete, assess it and make a decision.

Before we can accept your application, we check you have provided all necessary information. 

If details are missing, plans are not included or you have not paid a deposit, we will return the application to you with a letter explaining what is missing.

When we receive a complete application, we will confirm acceptance of your application in writing within 10 working days and give you a reference number.

When we process your application, we review:

• how your application relates to the Auckland Unitary Plan provisions
• whether your proposal is appropriate for its location (there are different rules for different zones)
• the environmental effects of your proposal and any proposed measures to reduce those effects
• whether there are affected parties (such as neighbours, adjoining landowners, Department of Conservation, utility providers, special interest groups, etc.) and mana whenua (local Māori), and if you have their written approval for your project
• if there are adverse environmental effects or any affected persons who have not provided written approval, it is likely your consent will be notified
• if your planned activity is in a hazard area (e.g. coastal erosion, land instability) and if so, how can it be mitigated
• whether any specialist input is required for any aspect of your consent (earthworks, ecology, land stability and suitability, water or air quality, flooding issues, heritage etc.)
• whether any specific conditions need to be attached to your consent, and if so, what they should be.

If planners or specialists have questions about your application, they will ask for further information (this is called a section 92 request), which delays the processing of your application until we receive the information.

For more complex applications, the planner may also need to commission a report on an aspect of your application. 

We will let you know about this before we commission the report. You can agree or decline to have the report done. 

If you decline to supply us with further information, or decline to have the report done, we will have to publicly notify your application. 

A planner will assess your application within 20 working days and will keep you updated on its progress. 

For non-notified applications, if we take longer than 20 working days to assess your application, you are entitled to a discount under the Resource Management (Discount on administrative charges) Regulations 2010.

A planner will prepare a report that recommends if the public should be notified about the application and given the chance to submit their feedback. Visit Notified resource consents. 

The planner's report will also recommend if the application should be granted and what conditions should apply.

The final decision is made by the team leader or an independent commissioner.

The planner assessing your application will contact you, usually by phone and email, to let you know if your application has been granted or declined, or if it needs to be notified.  

If we grant your resource consent, your email will contain:

• conditions of the consent
• reasons for our decision
• approved plans.

If we decline your application, and you disagree with our decision (or parts of it), you can formally object to our decision or lodge an appeal with the Environment Court.  Visit Resource consent appeals and objections.