A building consent - what is it?
What is a building consent?
A building consent is a formal approval to undertake building work. This is the process for ensuring buildings are built to the New Zealand Building Code and regulatory standards, that they are safe for occupation and their intended use, and that they have adequate plumbing, water, sewerage and other essential facilities. Council will grant a building consent once it is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the proposed building work will comply with the Building Code. A building consent is required before you undertake any building work, such as additions, alterations or constructing new buildings and pool barriers, unless the building work is exempt.
A building consent cannot be issued retrospectively. This means any building work which required a building consent and was undertaken without first obtaining a building consent is illegal. A Certificate of Acceptance may be issued by Council for work that would normally require a building consent, but has been carried out without consent being obtained.
