A hearing is a formal meeting to consider notified resource consent applications where submissions have been received.

An applicant can also request a hearing for a non-notified application, or a notified application where there are no submitters wanting to be heard.

A resource consent application can be heard by either a Hearings Panel or an independent Commissioner. A Hearings Panel generally comprises of three people including a Commissioner plus two Councillors or Community Board members.

Refer to resource consent hearings [PDF, 74 KB] for more information.

Pre-hearing meeting

A pre-hearing meeting is an optional informal meeting held prior to the hearing of a notified application. Pre-hearing meetings provide an opportunity for all parties to meet and discuss and clarify any points raised in the application or submissions, and clarify resource management issues. If agreement is reached between parties at a pre-hearing meeting a more formal hearing may not be required.

Refer to Pre-hearing meetings [PDF, 34 KB] for more information.

The decision

Once the Hearings Panel or Commissioner has heard all the evidence the hearing will be declared closed. A written decision will usually be sent to the applicant and submitters within 15 working days of the close of the hearing.

In some cases, applicants and/or submitters may appeal the decision to the Environment Court. Appeals must be lodged with the Court within 15 working days of receipt of the notice of the decision. If you are thinking of lodging an appeal we strongly recommend that you seek legal assistance in the preparation of your appeal to ensure that the correct procedure is followed. 

Information about lodging an appeal is sent out with the decision. 

Attending a hearing

All hearings are open to public and media. If you are about to be involved in a hearing as an applicant or submitter it can be helpful to come to an earlier hearing as an observer. Please contact our Customer Centre on 03 941 8999 for dates and times of hearings.

For more information about the hearing process contact the Duty Planner. Please include your telephone number if you would like the us to call you. 

Community Law Canterbury also provides free advice and assistance on resource management matters and can be contacted on 03 366 6870 or via their website(external link). Alternatively, you may wish to talk to your solicitor or a planning consultant.