Resource consents

We're responsible for resource consent applications for land use and subdivisions.

Most of the Council's decisions on areas within and around commercial centres will become operative on 12 December 2024. 

High Density Residential Zoning will be introduced around 10 commercial centres and Medium Density Residential Zoning around approximately 30 other commercial centres. Changes have also been made to the commercial zones themselves.

In addition, the Council has made 20 alternative recommendations to the Minister for RMA Reform. They will have legal effect from the same date, alongside the equivalent rule in the operative District Plan – so both will apply in the interim until the Minister makes their decision. 

Decisions on parts of PC14 for other areas of the city haven't been made yet. Applications for resource consent and building consent can not be processed under the proposed rules for those areas until the decisions have been made and notified. The operative District Plan provisions continue to apply in the meantime. 

More information is available on our PC14 page(external link)

Processing timeframes

As of 16 December 2024, the average timeframe for most applications to be allocated to a planner for processing is eight working days. 

To help minimise delays please ensure that your application is complete and includes all the necessary plans and supporting information. If you’re unsure about what you need to provide, check with our Duty Planner.

The planner will contact you once your application is allocated.

A resource consent is an approval under the Resource Management Act that's needed when a building or activity doesn't meet the rules in the Christchurch District Plan.

It is separate to a building consent, which confirms that building work complies with the Building Act and the building code. You may need one or both types of consent for your proposal.

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