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Consents and Compliance

Timeframes for processing resource consents

The Resource Management Act 1991 sets the number of working days that are allowed for each step of processing and making decisions on resource consent applications.

 

Non-notified consents

A non-notified consent means that the Otago Regional Council has determined there is no need for public consultation, and/or all affected persons have given approval.

What the Council must do The expected time limit
Check an application is complete 10 working days from the date an application is received
Make a decision 20 working days from the date a complete application with deposit is received

 

Limited notified consents

A limited notified consent means that affected persons have a chance to have their say on how they believe the proposal will impact them. ORC will identify who is affected and must consider a person affected if the adverse effects on them from the activity, if allowed, are going to be at least "minor".

What the Council must do The expected time limit
Check an application is complete 10 working days from the date an application with deposit is received
Advise affected persons that they can make a submission 20 working days from the date a complete application is received
Receive submissions 20 working days from the date affected persons were advised
Make a decision if there’s no hearing 20 working days from the date submissions closed
Close a hearing 45 working days after the close of submissions
Release a decision after close of hearing 15 working days from the date the hearing closes

 

Publicly notified consents

A publicly notified consent means that ORC is seeking input from the public.

Generally, we do this when the rules in the various Regional Plans for Otago and the National Environmental Standards let us, and if we think the effects on the environment are likely to be more than minor.

By notifying the application and letting people have their say, their participation can provide useful evidence that make the final decision better.

What the Council must do The expected time limits
Check an application is complete 10 working days from the date an application with deposit is received
Advertise in a public newspaper 20 working days from the date a complete application is received
Receive submissions 20 working days from the date the application is publicly notified
Make a decision if there’s no hearing 20 working days from the date submissions closed
Close a hearing 75 working days after close of submissions
Release a decision after close of hearing 15 working days from the date the hearing closes

 

FAQs

As an applicant you may stop the process:

  • Up to 20 working days for non-notified consents – before any notification decision, and
  • Up to 130 working days for limited and publicly notified consents after submission period ends.

We can put the consent application on hold if we need to ask you:

  • For the deposit fee
  • For more information
  • To get written approvals from affected parties
  • To apply for additional resource consents

We can extend the time limits for holding hearings or releasing decisions on your application and we can put timeframe extensions in place to enable additional time. These extensions are often put in place to allow you to review draft conditions or to consider things that have come up in the consent process. We will generally talk to you about any timeframe extensions.

Under the Resource Management Act, the period from 20 December to 10 January each year doesn’t count towards the timeframes. This means that any weekday during this time cannot count as a statutory working day.

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

Depending on the reasons why your application is on hold we may continue to undertake some work. This work will ensure that we can progress your application quickly once it is no longer on hold. The work may include some work on the reports, or conditions. We will let you know if we are going to do this and what this work involves. If you do not want us to do this work, then you will be able to let us know. If processing of your application is suspended, then we are unable to do any work on the application.

The suspension of processing an application happens under a specific section of the RMA and you as the applicant can request this. A suspension means we do not do any work at all on your application. The timeframes for this are spoken about in the sections above.

If an application is on hold, this is normally for reasons such as seeking written approvals; providing further information or for you to prepare an application for another consent. We will write to you about these holds, and you will know what is happening and why. Some work may continue to happen on your application.

A timeframe extension is where we add more days onto the process for your application. This is not a hold, as processing days do not stop. How and why we use timeframe extensions is covered above.

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