Resource consent might be needed for renovations

By WENDY BAVERSTOCK

When thinking about home renovations, the best starting point is to consult your local council - not only to ascertain whether a building consent is needed, but whether a resource consent is needed, too.

A building consent does not give you any planning approval: it is important to contact the planning section of council, or a planning adviser, to determine that what you want to do complies with the district plan.

Planning controls are not standard throughout New Zealand and differ considerably, depending on the area in which you live.

The zoning and other designations relevant to your property will dictate, for example, how close you can build to the boundary, how high a structure can be and the percentage of building coverage allowed on your property.

If your proposal does not comply with the district plan, a resource consent needs to be sought from the council or, alternatively, the proposal can be altered to comply.

The Resource Management Act requires an assessment of the environmental effects of a proposal as part of the application. This assists the council to determine if anyone will be affected by the application and, therefore, whether it should be granted.

A planning consultant can assist with this consent process with advice on the feasibility of a proposal and in preparing the consent application, including the environment assessment. This can limit any hassles and avoid delays.

Because a resource consent application is separate from a building consent, it is advisable to obtain a resource consent first, thereby avoiding making expensive changes to your plans.

* Wendy Baverstock is a planning consultant with Barker & Associates which specialises in resource consents, environmental assessment, consent process management and development design and presentation.