Preparing the application

You can come in to the Environment Canterbury Offices to talk through your application, or download a form from this website. Many of the applications have associated notes and we recommend you read these, as they are there to help you complete your application correctly. Ensure that you are using the correct form for your purpose – incorrect applications can cause delay as the required information will not have been provided, and you may have your application returned to you. If you have any queries, call Customer Services on (0800) 324 636, or you may choose to employ a consultant to assist you with your application.

Consultants can help you with your application, particularly in complex cases. Choose a consultant in the same way you would select any other business professional and monitor their performance. What relevant previous experience have they had? How helpful have others found them? What assurances will they give regarding the cost of their service? Will they keep you informed about what is happening with your application? Selecting the “right” consultant will, in our experience, reduce your costs and save time.

All applications should include:

The correct deposit
The full name and address of the applicant
The name and address of the owner / occupier of the land if different from the applicant
An Assessment of Environmental Effects (AEE)
A description of the activity and its location with a legal description of the site
A location plan and site map
Any written approval supplied by affected parties
A description of the mitigation measures
A statement of any other consents which may be required

Consulting affected parties

Consultation is not just a pre-application exercise; it helps throughout the application process and assists in fostering good relationships with neighbours and the community as a whole. It is the process of communicating with people or groups who may be interested or affected by the proposed activity.

Consultation is not a pre-requisite under the RMA, but it can save both time and money, and may mean your application can proceed on a non-notified basis. It helps identify where further information may be required, and provides the decision makers with the details they require to make a well-founded decision.

Consultation benefits

• may reveal local information that had not been considered
• matters of significance to Maori can be incorporated into the proposal
• may improve the proposal and reduce any environmental impact
• may reduce potential opposition and therefore reduce processing time and cost

Who to consult

The Council encourages applicants to consult with local Iwi. Staff can supply you with the names of the appropriate contact. Environment Canterbury cannot make a decision on an application without first assessing and weighing up issues related to the application which may affect Maori.

You may have ‘interested’ parties and ‘affected’ parties to consult regarding your application. Interested parties refer to a broad group of persons or organisations who will have an interest in your proposal. Affected parties are people who may experience an effect as a result of your proposal which is significantly greater than or different from the effect on the general public. The council will determine who may be considered an affected party.

Potentially, you may want to consult with:

• Owners, occupiers and users of adjacent and nearby land
• Downstream water users
• Users of the same groundwater resource
• Tangata Whenua (the local Runanga)
• Department of Conservation, or Fish and Game
• Occupiers of land living down wind of a proposed discharge to air

Keep a record of your consultation – who was consulted, the topics and any decision reached. Include any information that may be helpful in presenting your application to Environment Canterbury.

How to consult

The Council may be able to help you identify the parties you should consult. Prepare clear and concise information to share with potential affected or interested parties, and consult with them via letter, telephone or in face to face meetings.

• Consult as soon as possible, while you have flexibility to incorporate any issues raised
• Outline your proposal, its location, why you want to proceed, and enclose any additional information you feel will provide clarification
• Be upfront and open about your intentions; give some idea of where your proposal is flexible and where it cannot be changed
• Keep your views open to the responses and their benefits; consultation is an opportunity to take all perspectives into consideration
• Agreement is not necessary, but all parties should make a genuine effort
• Obtain written approvals from potentially affected parties to save them being contacted again at a later date, and submit these with your application

Assessment of the environment

Every activity has some effect on the environment – positive or negative. An AEE is a written statement which describes all the environmental effects of the activity on the environment, and the ways any negative effects can be managed.

All applications must be accompanied by an AEE which should include, as a minimum, the following:

A clear description of the proposal
A description of the site and activity
A site plan drawn to scale and other plans
A description of actual and potential environmental effects of the activity
A description of any measures taken to avoid, prevent or reduce any adverse effects; for example by changing location or method
Identification of anyone who may be interested in or affected by the activity
A record of any consultation that has taken place, including responses
A discussion of how and when any monitoring which may be required will occur
An assessment of any risks to the environment where the activity includes the use of hazardous substances
A description of the nature of any discharge of contaminants, the sensitivity of the receiving environment, and any possible alternative methods of discharge including discharge into any other receiving environment

Activity and location

Applicants should provide concise details of the activity and location – for the activity, we will need information of exactly what is proposed, and for the location, we will require a map and a legal description of the site.

Application deposits and costs

Each type of application requires a specific deposit. Details of these are available on this website, or you can speak to Customer Services if you require clarification. The consent application process is 100% user pays, which means that you pay for the time spent on your application by staff, plus expenses – nothing more, nothing less. The application fee is an initial deposit, calculated on the average cost to process an application of each particular type. If the processing of your application takes less time than expected, you will receive a refund of the difference. If your application takes longer than expected, you will receive additional invoices. You may receive one final invoice once your consent has been granted, or interim invoices if your application needs to go to a hearing. If you disagree with the additional charges incurred, you can object.

What the fee covers

The applicant is required to pay the fee regardless of whether the application is granted or refused.

The process is cost recoverable covering a number of areas including:

• Staff time for processing the application
• Staff time for carrying out site inspections and travel
• Staff time for attending meetings and hearings, and venue costs if necessary
• Newspaper advertising costs if your application is publicly notified

How payments can be made

Payments can be made by cheque, addressed to Environment Canterbury, or through direct deposit.

Please ensure that you provide details relating to the application:

Your full name
Type of application
Location of the proposed activity

If you send a payment in response to a request for further payments, please provide your application reference number.

Keeping costs down

The key steps to keeping your costs down are:

• Ensure your application is correct the first time; prevent delay and increased processing time caused by requests for further information.
• Speak to anyone who may be affected by your activity and, where possible, obtain written approval from them; they may want to suggest some changes to your application which will save any problems arising at a later stage.
• If you are applying for several consents, it can reduce the time taken if you lodge them at the same time. The Investigating Officer who is looking at your application may be able to process them as a group and ultimately this may save time.