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    Applying for a Resource Consent

    Types of Resource Consents

    A land use Resource Consent is required for any activity that does not meet the requirements set out in the District Plan and may include activities such as:

    • Earthworks
    • Building and alterations
    • Signage
    • Vehicle access, etc

    A subdivision consent is always required if you plan to subdivide a property. A land use consent may also be required, depending on the ability of the proposed activity to comply with the District Plan rules.

    Subdivision | Manawatū District Council

    Talk to us

    Our Planning Team is available to provide guidance around the District Plan rules and requirements. A Duty Planner is available Monday to Friday, 9am to 12pm for phone, email, and face-to-face enquiries.

    Alternatively, you can email the Council’s Planning Team at any time: planning@mdc.govt.nz

    Engage a professional to help prepare your application

    As Resource Consent Applications can be complex, the Manawatū District Council strongly recommends that you engage the services of a Planning Consultant to assist you with preparing your application. They will also be able to lodge the application on your behalf and liaise with the Council about your application.

    Pre-application meeting

    It may be beneficial to meet with our Council staff prior to submitting your Resource Consent application. They will be able to discuss the relevant District Plan rules that may be applicable to your application and provide some insight into other information that may be required for your application. A pre-application meeting can also help ensure that your application is complete.

    Submitting your Resource Consent

    Once you have completed the Resource Consent application form and collated all the relevant information, please submit your application to planning@mdc.govt.nz.

    PLEASE NOTE: No lodgement payment is required for Land use and Subdivision Consents. Fees for these types of applications will be invoiced when the consent decision is issued. In some cases, a development contribution may be payable as a requirement. Please ensure that you check Council's Fees and Charges to be familiar with the fee requirements for your consent and Council Officers hourly rates.

    Applications for Resource Consent must include a completed application form as well as an assessment against the relevant provisions of the following:

    Other information required:

    • Certificate of Title for each title included in your application (can be obtained from Toitu Te Whenua - Land Information New Zealand)
    • The potential risk of the subject site to natural hazards. This information can be obtained from Horizons Regional Council.
    • Detailed site plan that shows ability to comply with District Plan rules (i.e boundary setbacks, vehicle manoeuvring, site coverage)
    • Detailed Assessment of Environmental Effects (Refer to the Ministry for the Environment website for a guide to preparing an AEE)
    • List of affected parties
    • Affected party approval forms (if required)
    • Any other report triggered by a National Policy Statement, National Environmental Standard, District or Regional Plan, which may include:
      • Traffic impact report
      • Report on earthworks
      • Detailed or preliminary site investigation
      • Iwi engagement
      • Noise assessment

    Council will identify who may be adversely affected when processing a resource consent application. If a party is deemed to be affected by a proposed activity, you may choose seek written approval from these parties. When seeking written approval, affected parties must sign all the appropriate papers, otherwise the approvals may not be valid.

    Please note that owners and occupiers of a property can be considered affected parties.

    The final decision on who is an affected party is made by senior Council Officers with delegated authority.

    The Resource Management Act of 1991 sets out specific time frames for making decisions on Resource Consent Applications. These timeframes can vary based on whether or not notification is needed and can also be dependent on the following:

    • The complexity of the proposed activity
    • If further information is required.

    As a general rule, the following timeframes are applicable:

    • 20 working days for a non-notified consent
    • 100 working days for a limited notified consent
    • 130 working days for a publicly notified consent.

    A ‘working day’ excludes weekends, public holidays, or the days from December 20 to January 10 (inclusive) each year.

    Notification is intended to give other parties the opportunity to ‘have their say’ on the activity proposed in the resource consent application. Notification of a Resource Consent application can result in longer processing timeframes, as well as additional costs.

    There are two types of notification under the Resource Management Act 1991:

    • Limited Notification - where parties who are directly affected by a proposal are notified.
    • Public Notification - where the proposal has a public interest and the public in general are notified.

    Limited Notification

    In some cases where effects are limited, the notification process can be limited to serving a notice on only directly affected parties.

    If a party has been identified as being affected by a proposed activity, the Council must notify these parties of the proposal, unless:

    • The applicant has obtained written approval from the affected parties; or
    • There are regulations under a Plan or legislation that restrict the Council from considering a party as being affected.

    For limited notified applications, those who were notified by the Council as being affected by the proposal can make a submission either supporting or opposing the application within 20 working days of being notified.

    Public Notification

    In some cases, the effects associated with a Resource Consent application may result in the Council publicly notifying the application.

    Parties who are directly affected by the proposal will also be notified directly.

    For publicly notified applications, anyone can make a submission on the application within 20 workings days of the application being notified.

    What happens if submissions are received?

    If the Council receive submissions in response to a Limited or Publicly Notified Resource Consent application, and the submitter has identified that they wish to speak to their submission, then the Council will hold a hearing.

    Resource Consent Hearings involve an Independent Commissioner who will determine the outcome of the Resource Consent application based on the information presented at the Resource Consent Hearing.