Section 9 of the Resource Management Act (RMA) requires consent for activities on land only if required under a regional plan. The regional council currently has plans requiring consents for the following activities:

the installation or alteration of bores
burning vegetation in the high country
earthworks and vegetation clearance
fencing and grazing in river berms
the installation of underground
above ground storage tank activities in the coastal hazards zone.

Section 13 of the RMA also requires land use consents for activities in the beds of rivers or lakes. These include:

using, placing, altering or removing any structures
disturbing the bed, including the excavation of gravel
planting plants
reclaiming or draining part of the bed.

Water permits

Section 14 of the RMA requires consent for damming, diverting, taking or using natural water, whether underground water or surface water. This includes the extraction of heat from geothermal water and using water to generate hydro-electric power.

The RMA does allow you to take water for your own reasonable individual domestic and stockwater needs, and for fire-fighting purposes, without a resource consent.

Discharge permits

Section 15 of the RMA requires consents for the discharge of contaminants into the air, land or water, and for the discharge of water into water.

Coastal permits

Section 12 of the RMA requires consent for activities in the coastal marine area. This is the area seaward of mean high water springs out to New Zealand's territorial limit, and includes the Avon-Heathcote Estuary/Ihutai in Christchurch. Activities within this area requiring consent include:

reclaiming or draining part of the foreshore or seabed
placing, altering or removing any structures
disturbing the foreshore or seabed
planting plants
occupation of the coastal marine area
removing any natural material (e.g. sand).

Building Consents for new structures in the coastal marine area must be applied for and can be obtained from the city or district council.