You have resource consent! Now what?
- Your proposal may require consent from Northland Regional Council (NRC). Please contact NRC for further information.
- Please check whether you comply with Far North District bylaws.
- Please check if your proposal requires a health or liquor license, a building consent, vehicle crossing approval or connection to wastewater/stormwater.
From Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, prior to the commencement of any works, a copy of this ADP should be made available to all contractors working on site.
Updates to the Engineering Plan Approval process for resource consents and designs required by consent notices take effect from 1 July 2023.
The key changes are:
- Completing a new application form is required to provide key information about the proposed works.
- A new entry in our Fees and Charges schedule requires a deposit to be paid on lodgement and payment of actual costs on completion of the approval.
- Streamlined communications for plans which require input from other council teams.
If your application includes a condition of consent that requires council approval of engineering plans, you will need an engineering consultant with the relevant competency (if specified in the condition) to prepare your plans. These conditions may relate to the design of roads, water services, accesses or earthworks controls (for example).
All applications for Engineering Plan Approvals will need to be made using the new application form. This form includes debtor information (for the collection of fees), as well as information about the documents that require plans, and which council teams may be involved.
Once your application and documents have been received, they will be lodged, and your plans will be reviewed. A resource consents engineer, working with the relevant council teams, will confirm whether the plans provided are suitable for construction. Please be aware a request for further information or changes to the plans could be part of this process. When the plans are confirmed as suitable, they will be stamped and issued. You can then commence construction.
Your resource consent may be granted subject to conditions. Under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA), the Council is legally required to monitor compliance with these conditions. This monitoring includes site inspections and assessment of documentation to ensure that the consent holder is complying with the approved activity and conditions.
You will be responsible for the costs of monitoring your consent, which may include site inspections and/or desktop checks of evidence as part of the standard process.
While the Council monitors compliance with conditions, ultimately the land owner is responsible for ensuring that the activity or development complies with the resource consent conditions on an ongoing basis.
Council has the authority to take enforcement action under the RMA if conditions are not complied with. This may include issuing abatement notices, infringement notices, or prosecution.
Land Use Consents
For land use consents, you must comply with all conditions throughout the duration of the consented activity or as specified in the consent. Monitoring officers may inspect the site to check compliance, particularly before the activity starts, during its operation, or following complaints.
Council's monitoring process distinguishes between two types of conditions:
- Engineering conditions – These typically relate to infrastructure, stormwater, earthworks, access, or services, and may require oversight by a Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng). You may be required to submit documentation such as producer statements (e.g. PS1/PS4), as-built plans, and engineering certification. If you have evidence to be reviewed or an inspection to be booked by an RC Engineer, please email Planning_Technicians@fndc.govt.nz
- Non-engineering conditions – These include operational or activity-based requirements (e.g. landscaping, noise levels, signage, hours of operation), and are generally checked by a Compliance Monitoring Officer through site visits and desktop assessments. If you have evidence to be reviewed or an inspection to be booked by a Compliance Monitoring Officer, please email RCMonitoring@fndc.govt.nz
Breaches of the District Plan
Activities in our district are governed by the rules in the Operative District Plan, as well as rules in the Proposed District Plan with immediate legal effect. Section 9 of the Resource Management Act 1991 states that no person may use land in a manner that contravenes a district rule unless the use is expressly allowed by a resource consent.
Should you suspect that an activity is occurring that breaches a rule in the District Plan, please tell us using our online form.
If your consent includes conditions requiring mitigation measures, reports, or compliance schedules, ensure these are submitted to Council within the timeframes specified in the consent.
If your consent relates to a subdivision, there are specific certification steps under the RMA:
- Section 223 – You must submit a survey plan for Council approval, confirming it is in accordance with the approved subdivision consent.
- Section 224(c) – Before titles can be issued, Council must certify that all conditions of consent have been satisfied, or that appropriate bonds or financial contributions have been secured.
Subdivision consents often include both engineering and non-engineering conditions. It is your responsibility to coordinate with the relevant professionals (e.g., surveyors, engineers) and to submit all required documents and evidence of compliance. Delays in providing this information may result in delays to certification. All information and s223 /s224 applications can be submitted to planning.support@fndc.govt.nz.
Under section 133A of the Resource Management Act (RMA), a consent authority that grants resource consent may, within 20 working days of the grant, issue an amended consent that corrects minor mistakes or defects in the consent. When you receive your consent, please read it carefully. Let the council know within 15 working days if a 133A amendment is required. The council will assess whether the changes are "within the scope" of the approved consent under s133A.
The holder of a resource consent may apply to a consent authority for a change or cancellation of a condition of the consent under section 127 of the RMA. These applications have a discretionary status and the council must consider whether there are any persons who would be adversely affected by the change or cancellation. If the proposed change significantly alters the character, intensity and scale of the proposal, or results in new rule breaches, then a new resource consent application will be required.
To change or cancel a consent notice condition registered on the Record of Title requires an application under s.221 of the RMA. Please contact the Duty Planner by email at duty.planner@fndc.govt.nz if you require further information.