Exactly What is Required for a Building Consent Application?
The Council will be looking for fully detailed drawings, specifications and any other information which show how all components of the building are to be constructed. The requirements are extensive and it is very difficult for a non-building professional to understand exactly what the requirements are and why they are needed.
You need to complete the building consent application online or print off the application and checklist forms and complete in full. The application checklist will need to be included with every application and must also be fully completed. It is essential that all items mentioned in the checklist are provided. Do not lodge any applications that do not include all of the information asked for. The entire application may be returned unprocessed if there is missing information.
Council strongly recommends that you see a suitably qualified design professional to help you navigate the building consent process, as applying for a building consent and showing how the building work will comply with the Building Act and Building Code can be complicated. Additionally some building design work can only be carried out by someone with a suitable qualification or licence to do so.
View MBIE's advice on quality drawings to support your building application
A building consent application must show how the proposed building work will comply with the relevant clauses of the Building Code.
View Building Code clauses and acceptable solutions on MBIE's building performance website
Council also recommends that you apply for a Project Information Memorandum (PIM) before you submit your building consent application. This will provide you with the information Council has that may affect your project, for example whether or not resource consent will be required.
If the building work involves working with Specified Systems, full information on the design standard, the inspection maintenance and reporting procedures is required.
Additionally there are certain requirements in the Building Act 2004 that Council must consider for building work that involves alterations, a change of use for the building, extensions to specified intended life or the subdivision of an existing building, for example in the case of a subdivision of land to be effected by the grant of a cross lease or company lease, or by the deposit of a unit plan, the territorial authority needs to be satisfied that the building will comply as near as reasonably practicable (ANARP) with the provisions of the building code relating to means of escape from fire, access and facilities for persons with disabilities and protection of other property.
If the intended building work involves any of these items, then Council needs the building consent application to contain the relevant information relating to this work, so a decision on these items can be made. Below are a number of links to MBIE's website that may be helpful in understanding these requirements:
Change of use, alterations and extension of life
Demonstrating and assessing compliance for buildings undergoing alterations
Building Act 2004, Section 112. Alterations to existing buildings
Building Act 2004, Section 115. Code compliance requirements: change of use
Building Act 2004, Section 116. Code compliance requirements: extension of life
Building Act 2004, Section 116A: Code compliance requirements: subdivision
