Applying for a resource consent

Do I need a resource consent?
If you are considering an activity which may require a resource consent, Taranaki Regional Council Consents staff will be able to assist you. They can explain which activities require resource consents under the Resource Management Act (RMA) and which activities are permitted under regional plans.

If a consent is required, Council staff can also provide guidance on the information to be supplied and who should be consulted. Pre-application consultation with Council's Consents staff and others is an important feature of the Council's approach to consent processing.

To make the process easier for you, please identify all of the consents you require when you make an application. Resource consent application forms are available from the Taranaki Regional Council office.

Council Consents staff are available to assist with any queries you may have.

Consents from other local authorities
For certain activities you may need to also obtain resource consents from your District Council. The Regional Council and the District Councils will seek to co-ordinate the processing of joint applications where appropriate.

Obtaining a resource consent
The process of obtaining a resource consent is set out in the RMA (including timeframes). There are several stages that are required to be carried out before the Council can approve an application and grant a consent.

Stage 1: Preparation of the resource consent application
The applicant generally has to:

• fill out the appropriate application form, available on this website (click here) or from the Council’s office
• consult with interested and affected parties
• complete an assessment of the potential and/or actual environmental effects (proportional to the scale of the activity proposed); and
• pay the application fee if appropriate.
  

The applicant should discuss the proposal with Council Consents staff to ensure that all necessary information is included with the application, and that the appropriate people are consulted. If all the information is provided, this will save time and streamline the process.

Stage 2: Processing the application
If all affected parties give their written approval to the proposal and the environmental effects are minor, the decision on whether to approve a non-notified application and grant a resource consent is delegated to the Director-Resource Management.

If the effects are not minor, or an affected party will not give its written approval to the proposal, the application may have to be publicly notified, and the public may make submissions (Refer to pre-hearing meetings and hearings).

Stage 3: Decision-making
Council staff will evaluate the application, and consider it in relation to the requirements of the RMA, the Regional Policy Statement and relevant regional plans. The application(s) and the Council officer's report will be presented either to the Director-Resource Management, or will be heard by the Council's Consents and Regulatory Committee. In any case, a decision is made, and if approved, conditions that the applicant will have to meet will be specified on the consent. The applicant, or any submitter, may appeal the Council's decision.

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Appeals
The Council's decisions on applications may be appealed to the Environment Court by any applicant or submitter. Appeals must be lodged within 15 working days of the Council's decision being received, and must be in the appropriate form.

Monitoring
The Council must monitor the exercise of consents and any resulting impacts on the environment. Major consents may be subject to tailored compliance monitoring programmes, which may include self-monitoring by the consent holder. Minor consents may be the subject of an annual inspection or a once-only compliance inspection. Monitoring information can be used for future consent changes and/or renewal applications. All consent conditions will be monitored to ensure that they are complied with.

Resource consent processing timeline

Regional plans
The Council has an operative Regional Air Quality Plan and Regional Coastal Plan, Regional Fresh Water and Regional Soil Plan. These plans contain rules for various types of activities.
Regional plans and guides

The Taranaki Regional Council also has available a Resource Consents Procedures Document which outlines the consent process in more detail.
Resource Consents Procedures Document

The Regional Policy Statement and regional plans (air, coastal, fresh water and soil) are available at the Council's office and in public libraries throughout the region.

The Council's Consents staff are also available to assist with any queries you may have.

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