Building Consents Guide

Northland Building Consents: A Practical Guide

Which Council Processes Your Consent?

Your building consent is processed by the council that has jurisdiction over your property:

Note: The statutory timeframe for processing a building consent in New Zealand is 20 working days. The clock stops if council issues a Request for Information (RFI), which pauses the countdown until you respond.

What You Need for a Building Consent Application

A complete building consent application typically includes:

• Completed application form (available online from each council)
• Two sets of plans and specifications including floor plans, elevations, cross-sections, and site plan
• Engineering documentation for foundations, retaining walls, structural elements
• Energy efficiency calculations (H1 compliance)
• Bracing and sub-floor ventilation details
• Geotechnical report (required for most sites in Northland due to variable soil conditions)
• Producer statements from engineers and designers where applicable
• Title and survey information

The more complete your application, the less likely you are to receive an RFI, which is the most common cause of consent delays.

Common Reasons for Delays

Based on our experience working with all three Northland councils, the most common reasons consents are delayed include:

• Incomplete documentation (missing engineering, incomplete specifications)
• Insufficient site information (no geotechnical report, unclear boundaries)
• Non-compliance with district plan rules (setbacks, height limits, coverage)
• Missing or incorrect energy efficiency calculations
• Inadequate bracing design for the wind zone

When You Do Not Need a Consent

Schedule 1 of the Building Act 2004 lists work that is exempt from requiring a building consent. In Northland, common exemptions include:

• Detached buildings up to 10 square metres (with conditions)
• Certain fences and hoardings
• Retaining walls up to 1.5 metres (not supporting a surcharge)
• Like-for-like replacement of components (same material, same location)
• Interior non-structural alterations in some circumstances
• From 2025, small buildings up to 30 square metres can be built 1 metre from boundaries without a separate exemption

Even exempt work must still comply with the Building Code. If you are unsure, check with your council or builder before proceeding.

Resource Consent vs Building Consent

A building consent confirms your plans comply with the Building Code (structural safety, weathertightness, fire safety, etc.). A resource consent deals with land use and environmental effects under the Resource Management Act.

You may need a resource consent if your project:

• Breaches district plan setback, height, or coverage rules
• Is in a flood-prone area or coastal hazard zone
• Involves earthworks over certain thresholds
• Affects protected trees or heritage items
• Is a non-complying activity in your zone

Resource consents are separate from building consents and typically take longer to process. In Northland, it is common for coastal and rural properties to require both.

Fees and Levies

Building consent fees in Northland vary by council and project value. As a rough guide:

In addition to council fees, projects over $20,444 (incl. GST) attract a Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ) levy, and projects over $65,000 attract a Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) levy.

How Henare Construction Helps

We manage the building consent process on behalf of our clients across all three Northland councils. This includes coordinating with designers and engineers, preparing documentation, submitting applications through council portals, responding to RFIs, and tracking progress. Our familiarity with each council's specific requirements helps avoid common pitfalls and keeps your project on schedule.