Before you apply for a consent
Before you apply for a consent, it's important to understand when and why you may need one.
We administer resource consents under the Resource Management Act 1991. The purpose of the Act is to promote the sustainable management of natural and physical resources. This involves managing the use, development, and protection of resources while enabling individuals and communities to provide for their social, economic and cultural needs. Sustainable management also involves:
- sustaining resources for future generations
- safeguarding the life-supporting capacity of air, water, soil, and ecosystems
- avoiding, remedying or mitigating any adverse effects of activities on the environment.
A resource consent permits a person or organisation to use or develop a natural or physical resource and/or to carry out an activity which affects the environment in some way. Resource consents include special conditions designed to ensure that any adverse environmental effects are avoided, mitigated or remedied.
Some activities may require resource consents from your local district council as well as the regional council. In such situations, applications to both councils may be processed at the same time.
Before you apply you will need to check that your application includes any additional information and resource consents under any of the new rules in our recently notified Plan Changes and the new national healthy waterways standards and regulations which apply from 3 September 2020.
We know there are a lot of changes to take in and understand. We’re here to help. If you would like more information about the new rules and how they might affect you please call 0800 474 082 or email public.enquiries@orc.govt.nz
Pre-application meetings
Pre-application meetings provide an opportunity for us to help you understand what consents might be needed and for you to chat about your proposal with council staff before applying for resource consent. Processing an application is generally simpler, quicker and less costly if the applicant has already sought the council's advice on the relevant plan provisions and information requirements before making an application.
To book a pre-application meeting fill in this form and email it to consents.applications@orc.govt.nz
Activities that require resource consents
If your proposed activity involves using or disturbing a river or lake bed in any of the following ways, you will need a land use consent. For example:
- drilling or altering a bore
- performing works which will alter a river or lake or a river or lake bed (e.g. dredging, reclamation)
- building a structure in a river or lake bed (e.g. a jetty).
If your proposed activity involves discharging a contaminant or water into water, onto or into land, or into the air in any of the following ways, you will need a discharge permit. For example:
- discharging contaminated stormwater into natural water
- discharging sediment-laden stormwater from a quarry or from a long-term sediment producing site
- discharging wastes, whether treated or untreated, into or onto land, into the air or into water.
If your proposed activity involves taking, damming or diverting water in any of the following ways, you will need a water permit. For example:
- taking and/or using water from a river, stream, dam, lake, spring, well or bore
- damming a watercourse
- diverting surface water (e.g. by piping or bridging, or by realigning a watercourse).
If your proposed activity involves the coastal marine area (which includes the foreshore, the seabed, the sea surface and the air out to the territorial limit) in any of the following ways, you will need a coastal permit:
- taking and/or using water from an estuary or the sea
- discharging wastes, whether treated or untreated, into coastal waters
- performing works which will alter the foreshore or sea bed (e.g. removing sand, reclamation)
- building any structure on the foreshore or sea bed (e.g. a sea wall)
- diverting coastal water
- occupying the coastal marine area (e.g. moorings, boat sheds).
Activities for which resource consents are not required
Resource consents are not needed for some activities which are permitted under Regional Plans and National Environmental Standards. There are criteria for these activities to ensure that the environment is protected.
You do not need a resource consent to take fresh water for your reasonable domestic fresh water needs, for stock or for firefighting, as long as these activities have no adverse environmental effects.
Certificate of Compliance
You can apply for a Certificate of Compliance if you want some formal documentation that your activity does not need consent.
What is a Certificate of Compliance?
A Certificate of Compliance is formal confirmation that an activity is permitted under our rules and plans and/or regulations in a National Environmental Standard. You will not need resource consent if you have a Certificate of Compliance for your activity.
A Certificate of Compliance is not mandatory but can be useful for insurance purposes or to provide certainty.
Anyone can apply for a Certificate of Compliance, and it is up to you to provide us with evidence that you meet the rules. We may need a little more information, but we will let you know if that is the case.
What happens if I change my plans after I get a Certificate of Compliance?
If the activity changes after you are issued with a Certificate of Compliance, then it is unlikely you will have protection under the original approval, and you should come back to us.
Applying for a Certificate of Compliance
To apply for a Certificate of Compliance, you will need to complete the application form found here
Your application must include:
- A full description of the proposal and the site where it will be undertaken
- A clear explanation of how the activity/proposal meets all the relevant provisions of the regional plan, and any relevant national environmental standard. You may choose to present this information as a table listing each provision and showing how the activity/proposal complies
- Copies of all necessary plans, details and calculations to enable the proposal to be checked for compliance with the regional plan.
Once completed, this application can be emailed to consents.applications@orc.govt.nz
Cost
The application involves a deposit of $1,750 which should be paid when you submit your application. Information on how to pay this deposit can be found here.
Time frame
Council has 20 working days to process an application for a Certificate of Compliance.
