» Home > Services > Planning

The RMA specifies maximum timeframes for processing resource consent applications. These processing times can be suspended at any stage if we need further information from you about your proposal. The key steps are:

• We must decide within 10 working days of receiving your complete application whether or not it will be notified.
• If it is not notified, then you can expect the final decision within a total of 20 working days.

Publicly notified applications may take three to four months. There is a 15-day appeal period following the release of a notified decision. You can begin your proposal when that period has ended provided that there are no appeals lodged against the decision.

The dead period

Under the Resource Management Act, the period 20 December to 10 January each year is considered a dead period. This means that any weekdays during this time may not count as working days.

For example - for a consent application lodged on 19 December, the clock may not start ticking until January 11.

We do try to better the minimum timeframes allowed by the Resource Management Act and so, depending on available resources, consents might still be processed during this statutory period.

Keep tabs on your application

You can check on the progress of your consent application at any time. Give us a call or come in to have a chat with your handling officer.