Processing building consent applications

Once the application is accepted, Waikato Regional Council will assess your application to make sure that it complies with the New Zealand Building Code and Engineering Standards. An engineering consultant with expertise relevant to your proposed building work, will be engaged to do this.

There is a statutory 20 working day timeframe for the Waikato Regional Council to decide whether or not to grant a building consent. This period will commence once the applications has been formally accepted for processing. However, the Waikato Regional Council can, within that time limit, require you to provide further information in regard to your application. The ‘clock’ is stopped until you provide this information.

Following consideration of the application, Waikato Regional Council will decide whether to grant or refuse your building consent. Applicants will be fully informed of the decision, including advice on the next stage, if granted, or the reasons for the refusal.

All building consent applications are required to comply with the Building Code and associated regulations. Refer to information on this site about building consents, engineering details and alternative solutions. 

Section 49 requirement to be “satisfied on reasonable grounds”.

Before the building consent can be granted, the BCA must be satisfied on reasonable grounds that the provisions of the building code would be met if the building work were properly completed in accordance with the plans and specifications that accompanied the application.

Granting is the process by which the BCA records that the project has been approved and a building consent can be issued to the applicant.  At the moment of “granting” the 20-day processing clock finally, stops. The building consent document (Form 5) is then issued (created) ready to be collected or sent to the applicant.

It is a condition of every building consent that the building consent authority is authorised to enter land and buildings during normal working hours or while building work is being done, to ensure compliance with the consent.

You may withdraw your Building Consent application at any time BEFORE the building consent is granted and issued. After this date, it cannot be cancelled but will lapse (exceed the use by date) if no work is carried out by the year one anniversary since the consent was issued.

If an application is withdrawn, and there are fees outstanding for the work which the council has already done, an invoice will be sent to the applicant or agent, depending on who the nominated debtor is.

Once your Building Consent has been issued, please read the document’s content, especially the conditions and advisory notes.

Conditions are requirements imposed on your Building Consent, these are deemed necessary to ensure the compliance of the proposed building. The conditions are listed on the building consent and you must comply with these conditions. The following are allowable conditions under the Building Act 2004 and regulations:

• Section 67(2)   RE: Waivers and modification
• Section 73       RE: Natural Hazards
• Section 75(2)   RE: Building on 2 or more allotments
• Section 90       RE: Inspections by building consent authorities
  NOTE: This can also include any third party certification that the building work complies with the plans and specifications, for example, Producer statements or memoranda.
• Section 113 (2) RE: buildings with specified intended lives

Advice or advisory notes may also be attached to the Building Consent. This information is provided to assist you. It is important that you read and understand all these requirements prior to commencing work. If you do not understand any requirement imposed, please contact council.