What is a resource consent?
When you wish to build or use your land in a way that does not comply with the rules of the Christchurch City Plan or the Banks Peninsula Proposed District Plan you need to get special permission, in the form of a resource consent.
Once you obtain a resource consent you are then able to build or use your land in accordance with the consent without complying with the City or District Plan.
In the Christchurch City Council, responsibility for processing resource consent applications and giving advice about the provisions in the City and District Plan rests with the Planning Administration Teams in the Environmental Policy and Approvals Unit.
The Plans
Under the Resource Management Act 1991 the Council is required to prepare a District Plan. The Banks Peninsula Proposed District Plan covers the Banks Peninsula Ward while the Christchurch City Plan covers the remainder of the City.
The Council prepares the Plans in consultation with the community, and the public are able to make submissions on the contents. Some of the rules are still under appeal and for this reason, some proposals have to be assessed against both the City Plan, Proposed District Plan and the Transitional District Plan for that area..
The Plans guide the way the city of Christchurch and Banks Peninsula are developed and seeks to control any negative effects of development by giving every property a zone. Each zone has different rules about the type of building, subdivision or land use that can occur in that area.
A resource consent is considered by the Council in accordance with the Resource Management Act 1991. The Council must consider any adverse environmental effects as well as the provisions of the City or District Plan when it considers applications. If a resource consent is granted it will allow you to undertake an activity that does not comply with all the rules in the City or District Plan.
For the City Plan a summary of the rules for residential units in their respective zones can be found in the following information sheets:
Living 1 Zone [PDF 352KB]
Living 2 Zone [PDF 342KB]
Living 3 Zone [PDF 78.1KB]
Living H Zone [PDF 515KB]
For the Proposed Banks Peninsula District Plan, information relating to the zones can be found in the respective Zone chapters:
The Rural Zone and the Subdivision Chapter have recently been updated by a Variation through the Environment Court and these are not yet available online. For more information about subdivision or development in the Banks Peninsula Rural zone, please contact the Duty Planner at the Lyttelton Service Centre.
Other things to consider
If any building work is necessary then you may also need to obtain a building consent under the Building Act 2004.
While the Resource Management Act 1991 is concerned with keeping the environment a pleasant place to live, work and play, the Building Act is focused on the health and safety of buildings (for example, are they structurally sound with sufficient ventilation and adequate drainage).
When you need a resource consent
An example of when you may need a resource consent is if you wish to build an extension to your house. If the extension is to be 1.5m from the boundary, it would intrude into the 1.8m boundary setback required by the City Plan by 0.3m.
A resource consent will need to be applied for and granted in order to build closer to the boundary than the City Plan allows.
A building consent is required to show that the extension is structurally sound.
For more information, view the Council’s resource management pamphlets.
Contact us
Duty Planner
Phone: (03) 941 8999
Email: info@ccc.govt.nz
Alternatively, you may choose to seek independent advice from a Resource Management Consultant or a Solicitor. Community Law Canterbury also has a Resource Management Service that can assist you. Contact them by phoning (03) 366 6870 .
