Types of Resource Consents

Land Use consents

A land use consent is a type of resource consent. The term ‘land use’ can refer to different development types, including:

• An activity (horticulture, outdoor eating, removal of a tree)
• A building and additions and alterations to a building
• The use of a building
• Undertaking earthworks
• Discharging contaminants (including water) onto or into the ground
• Constructing or altering a water bore.

Land uses are determined by regional and/or district plans. If a regional or district plan does not permit a type of land use, or if your development does not meet all the relevant controls as a permitted activity, you will need to apply for resource consent for that particular type of land use.

Subdivision consents

If you want to subdivide your property you need to obtain resource consent under the relevant District Plan.

Subdivision includes:

• Boundary adjustments
• Creation of two or more new freehold titles
• Creation of cross-leases
• Creation of a unit title development, for example, a block of flats.

As well the requirements for other consents, you will need to engage a licensed cadastral surveyor to prepare the necessary scheme/survey plan.

Subdivision consent will normally have a number of conditions which may require other approvals, for example, building consent and engineering approvals.

When compared to other consent types, there are additional steps with subdivision consents.

Section 223 approval

This is an approval by the council under section 223 of the Resource Management Act 1991 that your survey plan is in accordance with your resource consent.

An application for a Section 223 approval must be applied for within 5 years of the date the resource consent for the subdivision was granted.

Section 223 of the Resource Management Act 1991

Section 224(c) approval

This is an approval by the council under section 224(c) of the Resource Management Act which confirms that all of the conditions of your consent have been met or will be met later but secured by a bond to council. This approval enables Land Information New Zealand to issue new titles.

You need to apply to us when you are ready.

If you fail to lodge the section 224c certificate with the District Land Registrar within three years of the survey plan approval, the consent will lapse. If this happens you will need to apply for a new subdivision consent.

Section 224(c) of the Resource Management Act

Certificate of Compliance

A certificate of compliance gives official recognition that your activity can take place without resource consent. A certificate of compliance is not mandatory but it can be useful when applying for finance and liquor licences.

It is up to you to provide evidence of your proposed activity’s compliance with the relevant district or regional plan. We will process your application and issue a certificate if we are satisfied that the activity is permitted without a resource consent.