No matter what you’re doing, the Resource Management Act 1991 means no one should create unreasonable noise or cause adverse effects to the environment. This applies whether the activity you (or your neighbour) are doing needs a resource consent or not.

Part of our role at the Otago Regional Council is to monitor how resource consents are used and the impact they have on the environment. This will mean that we make sure the consent holder meets the conditions of the consent. At the same time, we will also check on the environmental effects of the activity.

For some consents, there may be conditions where consent holders are required to report at regular intervals on a specified aspect of their consent or prepare and operate in line with a management plan.

Find out more about how we monitor consents and undertake our Compliance Function on our compliance page.

Unless your resource consent is for reclamation it will have an expiry date. You may use the consent, subject to the conditions imposed, until that date.

If you apply to renew your consent no less than six months before the expiry date, you can continue to work under the consent until your application and any appeals have been decided on.

A land use consent or subdivision consent granted by a district or city council will not expire unless the consent specifies an expiry date.

If the activity you have a consent for has not started within five years of the commencement date (this date is shown on your consent ), your resource consent will automatically lapse, unless there is a condition that alters this. Some consents have a shorter period before they lapse, so it is important you check this time period on your consent.

You can request an extension by writing to us with an explanation of the circumstances. However, you must formally apply for this. Talk to our Council Consents officers before you run out of time.

If five years has passed, and you haven’t applied for an extension or started the activity your consent is for, we can cancel the consent. We will give written notice that your consent has been cancelled.

Any transfer of a resource consent to another person must be done by written notice to the Regional Council. Forms for the transfer of permits are available below.

An application to transfer a water permit to another site follows the same process as an application for a new water permit. Council staff can help with the information requirements for site transfers. If you are wanting to transfer a water permit to another site it is recommended you contact Council before completing the forms.

The consent holder is responsible for initiating the transfer and remains liable for the exercise of the consent and any charges until the Regional Council has received the request for a transfer.

If you hold a land use consent and the activity is in the bed of a lake or river, you can transfer the consent to another person, unless this is specifically prohibited in the consent.

A consent holder can request a change or cancellation of a consent condition, but not a change to the expiry date. We can change consents when regional plans are prepared or review consent conditions for specified reasons. In some cases, a new consent may be required. You should talk to one of our consents planners about making a change to your consent.

You can surrender your resource consent at any time by writing to us. We are required to give notice of acceptance before the surrender takes effect. If there are any uncompleted works at the time you apply to surrender a consent, we may direct that the works be completed. You will also remain liable for any non-compliance with any condition of the consent prior to surrender.

For information on how to re-apply for a consent that has, or will soon be, expired, please visit our Reapplying for a consent help page.