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Talk to us first
The information you provide for your resource consent helps us evaluate the potential effects of your activities on your local environment. It also helps others in the consulting process to clearly understand what you’re intending to do.
We can advise you on:
- what resource consents you require
- the supporting information you’ll need to provide with your application
- which other people will need to be consulted about your proposal.
You can make filling out your resource consent application a lot easier by talking to Environment Waikato first. You’ll avoid unnecessary delays and extra costs later in the process because we’ll help you identify everything you’ll need to include with your application right at the start. You may also need resource consents from your local district council, so it’s a good idea to get in touch with them too. Some large and/or complex proposals may require further information to be submitted with the application.
Contact us or call Environment Waikato’s Resource Use Freephone 0800 800 402 to discuss your proposal before you put pen to paper. You can also find out more about activities that require consents.
Application forms
Environment Waikato has different application forms for the various types of resource consents. These forms are designed to help you to provide the standard information Environment Waikato needs to begin processing your consent application.
Some of these application forms are available online, others can be sent out to you. Contact us or call Environment Waikato’s Resource Use Freephone 0800 800 402 if you would like us to post or fax these forms to you.
Required information
Make sure you fill out the correct application form, and include:
- A description of the activity you want a consent for.
- Details about the location of your activity. You will need to provide a map, aerial photograph or detailed sketch plan that shows:
- orientation (with north arrow and scale)
- your property boundary and neighbouring properties (as well as neighbouring property owners' names)
- the nearest country road or state highway
- any existing or proposed access roads, farm tracks, works or buildings in the area
- the location of any waterways, wetlands or wildife habitats in the area
- historic or waahi tapu sites
- geothermal features
- the location of any key landmarks.
- An assessment of environmental effects (AEE).
- Any information required by a plan or regulations which needs to be included in an application. District and regional councils have their own plans that may contain additional information requirements.
Find out more about Environment Waikato’s information requirements for consent applications under our Regional Plan.
If you need to get a resource consent from another organisation, such as your district council, you’ll also need to let us know:
- the resource consents you need from that organisation
- whether or not you’ve already applied for these other consents.
Assessment of environmental effects
You must include an assessment of environmental effects (AEE) with all consent applications, outlining how your activity will or may affect the environment. The amount of detail you provide will depend on the size and scale of your activity and its potential effect on the environment.
Your AEE should include:
- a description of your proposal
- an assessment of actual or potential affects on the environment
- a description of the activity’s location. You’ll also need to provide alternative locations or methods for undertaking the activity
- a description of how any negative affects on the environment could be reduced (mitigated)
- A list of people interested in or affected by the proposal. Include information about your consultation with them and their views on your activity.
Your AEE should also consider any effects your activity may have on:
- your neighbourhood and/or wider community (including socio-economic or cultural effects)
- physical or visual aspects of the locality
- ecosystems including plants, animals and habitat in the area
- natural or physical resources (aesthetic, recreational, scientific, historical, spiritual or cultural) now or for future generations.
You will have to include additional information if:
- you are using hazardous substances (include an assessment of risk)
- your activity involves hazardous installations (include an assessment of risk)
- you are discharging contaminants (provide a description of the discharge, where it will be discharged to and possible alternative methods of discharge, including alternative locations)
- you are required to monitor environmental effects (describe how effects on the environment will be monitored and by whom).
Contact us or call Environment Waikato’s Resource Use Freephone 0800 800 402 for more information about writing your AEE.
You can find out more about making an application by visiting the Ministry for the Environment's website. This website has a range of official guides for the public about resource management and consent processes.
You should also think about obtaining professional advice from an environmental consultant if your proposed activity is large, complex, may significantly affect the environment or attract significant public interest.
Consultation
Consultation is an important part of the application process. You should discuss your proposal with everyone who is interested in, or is likely to be affected by your proposed activity. We can help you to identify who you’ll need to consult with, such as:
- your neighbours, for example:
- talking to your downstream neighbours if you want to discharge dairy effluent into a drain on your property
- talking to people in your area who may be affected if you are thinking of taking a large volume of groundwater for irrigation purposes
- local iwi - find out more about iwi in the Waikato region.
- Department of Conservation
- Auckland/Waikato Fish and Game
- your local district council
- relevant environmental and interest groups, such as the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society.
Consultation should start well before the application process – you may need to allow 6 months or more for consultation for large, complex projects.
The purpose of consultation is to identify:
- how other people may be affected by your proposal
- how you can adjust your proposal to avoid any negative effects.
Everyone you consult with should be provided with all relevant information on your proposal.
Consultation outcomes in your application
Ask everyone you consulted with to give you written comments to include with your application. Report their views and whether you’ve changed your proposal to take their views into account. Proposals with written approvals that are likely to have minimal affect on the environment may not have to be notified. This can save you time and money.
Clearly identify the people you have consulted with in your application, including their:
- name
- address
- telephone number
- who they represent (for example, your neighbour, district council, local iwi or an environmental group).
Consultation form
You can provide the form below to the parties you consult with. It will help them to provide the necessary written approval or comments for your proposed activity. You can then include the completed forms with your application.
Remember to provide everyone with sufficient information that they can fully understand what it is you want to do and how they may be affected by it. This could include a copy of your application form once it is completed and and/or any plans or maps. Make sure you make yourself available to explain the application, answer any questions and discuss options for resolving any concerns.
Consultation form
(30 kb, 4 seconds to download, 56k modem)
Contact us or call Environment Waikato’s Resource Use Freephone 0800 800 402 if you would prefer us to post, fax or email a consultation form to you.
Check your application
It pays to carefully check your application before you send it in. If your application is missing information it may be sent back to you with a letter explaining what else we need. Your application may be placed on hold until you provide the requested information.
Make sure your application clearly explains your proposal.
Processing your application
If we decide your application is incomplete, we will return it to you within 5 working days, along with an explanation for our refusal to accept it.
- If you still want your proposal to be considered, you will need to address any deficiencies and re-submit your application.
- If you disagree with our decision that your application is incomplete, you can lodge a formal appeal or objection - contact us for more information.
All resource consent applications go through an initial ‘review’ checking process. We check to see that you’ve:
- completed, signed and dated the correct application form
- provided all the required information (as outlined above)
- paid the correct deposit
- obtained or applied for any related consents required by other authorities.
After we review your application it’s entered into our resource consents database and processed. You will be sent a letter confirming your application, including information on costs, timeframes, whether your application will need to be notified, who will be dealing with your application and their contact details.
Find out how we assess resource consents, and what happens when a decision is made.
For most applications, the resource officer will make a site visit. You will also be contacted if further information or clarification is needed on your proposal or its potential effects. We also contact people who may have made submissions to your proposal for more information if necessary.