Resource Management Act Changes
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Changes to the Resource Management Act came into effect on 1 October.
The main changes to the Act are:
- Fewer applications are likely to be fully notified (which could reduce costs and
time)
- There are likely to be fewer neighbours to consult with
- If you live nearby to a development, you may no longer be consulted about its effect on you
- Sub-standard applications will no longer be accepted by council – they will be sent back to applicants to re-submit with the necessary information (currently council accepts them and sends out ‘further information’ letters)
- Applications processed over the statutory time will be subject to a lower fee (after one year of implementation). We currently process more than 90 percent of applications within the statutory time.
Feel free to call a resource consents planner on 570 6666 to discuss how the changes might affect you.
Enforcement of the RMA
The main changes to the Act that will affect enforcement are:
- Raising fines for unauthorised works to $300,000 for individuals and $600,000 for corporates
- Enabling the District Court to require a resource consent to be reviewed.
We have three dedicated staff who not only check that the conditions on resource consents have been followed, but also respond to complaints about District Plan and RMA compliance. They can be contacted at enforcement@huttcity.govt.nz
More information
The Ministry for the Environment's website has more information...