The Christchurch City Council is responsible for processing resource consent applications (land use and subdivision consents) within Christchurch and Banks Peninsula.
Pre-application meetings have been temporarily suspended until further notice, due to an extremely high number of resource consent applications.
Hearings and subdivision site inspections can occur subject to COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
If you have any questions about your application you can email us or call us on 03 941 8999.
Processing delays
We are currently receiving a very high number of resource consent applications, which is causing delays in our processing times. Application numbers are up to 30% higher compared to previous years and have built up over the past few months.
This unfortunately means that many applications are not being processed within the statutory timeframe. We sincerely apologise for the delays and are working hard to get on top of this.
Current allocation timeframe
The current timeframe for most applications to be allocated to a planner for processing is:
Allocation timeframe
Date last updated
58 working days
16 May 2022
The planner will contact you once your application is allocated.
What we're doing
We’ve employed a number of new staff and are continuing to look for more. Recruiting experienced staff is difficult though, due to a nationwide shortage of planners.
We’re outsourcing work to external consultants where possible, but this is limited as they are also busy.
Staff are working additional hours.
We’re screening applications early on and sending them to specialists and Mahaanui Kurataiao Ltd to get a head-start on their input, to minimise delays when applications are eventually allocated.
We’re continually exploring ways to get through the work more efficiently.
What you can do to help
Please allow more time than normal to obtain resource consent.
Ensure that your application is complete and includes all the necessary plans and supporting information. This will minimise the need for us to request further information.
If you’re unsure about what you need to provide, check with our Duty Planner.
Consider engaging a planning consultant or resource management lawyer to prepare your application for you. Well-prepared information is usually quicker to process.
We are doing our best to keep up with what is a very busy time for everyone in the building and development industry. Thank you for your patience while we work through this, and please be assured that we will get to your application as soon as possible.
A resource consent is a formal approval under the Resource Management Act 1991 that is required when a proposed building or activity does not comply with all of the relevant rules in the Christchurch District Plan(external link).
A resource consent is separate to a building consent, which confirms that building work complies with the Building Act 2004 and the building code. You may need one or both types of consent for your proposal.
Resource consent applications can be complex. We recommend that you engage an experienced professional to help prepare your application to ensure that it meets all the requirements of the District Plan and Resource Management Act.
