Guidance for resource management practitioners
Use our technical advice and guidance notes to help understand which activities may require a resource consent and how to prepare a consent application.
There is much to consider when making a resource consent application, especially for an activity that must meet complex legal and regulatory requirements.
To help applicants prepare an application with all the necessary information, we are regularly developing:
- Technical advice notes: documents that explain our position on regulatory or legislative matters, eg interpretation and implementation of caselaw, national direction.
- Guidance notes: documents that outline a preference or make a suggestion on how to do something, eg application expectations advice.
While the content of these notes has been written primarily with consent consultants in mind, they may also be helpful for anyone looking to apply for resource consent in situations that aren't straightforward.
If you are unsure about your application, book a pre-application meeting with our consent planners to discuss your situation. You can book this free one-hour appointment by filling in our online pre-application advice form or email us at ecinfo@ecan.govt.nz.
Important note: These technical advice and guidance notes do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Please seek specific legal advice if you have legal questions or issues.
We make every reasonable effort to ensure the information on this page is accurate and reliable at the time of publication.
Guidance notes
Guidance for resource consent applications
Effective: May 2024
Overview: This guidance outlines what makes a good resource consent application. Providing all the required information helps towards efficient decision-making.
Benefits of high-quality applications: The benefit of excellent and good applications is that we should be able to provide applicants with certainty more quickly. However, the quality of the application does not predetermine:
- any decision on the application
- the level of additional resources and reporting that may be required – this will depend on the scale and significance of the proposal
- whether the conclusions reached are different from the applicant's
- whether an application needs to be notified (and/or refused).
Application evaluation: Because the quality of applications can vary widely, this document serves as a general guide and each application will be evaluated based on its own particulars and merits.
Appendices: This guidance includes several appendices relating to specific topics, including animal effluent, land use, gravel, groundwater, surface water and wastewater. The appendices are also reproduced separately.
Download the guidance note for resource consent applications (PDF file, 1.02MB)
Technical advice notes
Technical advice notes are listed in chronological order, with the most recent first:
Consenting Implications of the Resource Management (Consenting and other system changes) Amendment Act 2025
Effective: 21 August 2025
Overview: Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act 2025 was passed into law on 20 August 2025. This technical advice note focuses on changes impacting consent processing, including important changes regarding requests for further information, consideration of compliance history in decision-making, and the provision of draft conditions.
Key changes in consent processing: The Amendment Act also introduces provisions facilitating consenting of new infrastructure, including for renewable energy, and an ability to decline some land use consents due to significant natural hazard risks.
Download the technical advice note for RM Amendment Act 2025 (PDF file, 410.3KB)
Consenting Implications of the Local Government (Water Services) (Repeals and Amendments) Act 2025
Effective: 27 August 2025
Overview: The Local Government (Water Services) (Repeals and Amendments) Act 2025 took effect on 27 August 2025. This technical advice note focuses on Part 7 of the Act, which made amendments to the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) related to consenting of stormwater and wastewater land uses and discharges.
Key changes to consenting under Part 7: The changes relate to new infrastructure design solutions and performance standards for stormwater and wastewater made under the Water Services Act 2021 (WSA)
Extension of consent expiry dates: The amendments also extend the expiry dates for consents for constructing or operating a wastewater network that are due to expire within three years of the commencement date of the amendments, or if otherwise determined by the Minister for the Environment.
Note: This advice is based on the legislative framework as of September 2025 and may be updated as new instruments under the WSA are enacted.
Implications of the Supreme Court decision in Cloud Ocean Water Limited v Aotearoa Water Action Incorporated (2023)
Effective: 2023
Overview: The Supreme Court has confirmed the 2022 Court of Appeal decision in terms of the way to interpret and apply rules in the Canterbury Land and Water Regional Plan (LWRP) relating to the take and use of water.
Key findings of the Supreme Court: The Supreme Court states that it is not possible to consider the take and use of water separately under the LWRP except where this is specifically provided for.
Practical implications: This means that where water is fully allocated or over-allocated, it is not currently possible to apply for a new take and/or use of water unless this is provided for by a specific rule. This includes situations where a consent holder wishes to add or change a use of water to an existing water permit.
Government response: The Government is considering an amendment to the Resource Management Act to address this situation and proposed Plan Change 8 to the LWRP, considering this and other targeted changes to the Plan.
Download the technical advice note for Supreme Court AWA decision (PDF file, 378.28KB)
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