Building consent

The council-approved building pathway

A building consent records the building work the council has reviewed and the documents the project must follow. The application normally includes plans, specifications, site information and evidence showing how the proposed work will comply with the Building Code.

The consented pathway usually includes inspections at agreed stages. When the work is complete, the owner applies for a code compliance certificate.

Consent or exemption is a real design decision

A building consent may be required because a design falls outside Schedule 1A, or it may be chosen because the project needs features or site responses that do not fit the tightly defined exemption.

Neither route answers the planning question. A proposal can be permitted under the NES-DMRU yet require a building consent, or qualify for the building exemption while still requiring resource consent.

Build from the current documents

Moving a window, changing a foundation or substituting a product can affect the evidence on which a consent was granted. Discuss the change with the designer and council before it is built, and keep the final approved record with the property file.