2. Pre-application service and other advice

Pre-application service

We encourage you to discuss your proposal with us before applying for a resource consent. Using our pre-application service will help ensure your application includes all the relevant information so we can process it efficiently.

You may also have queries or advisory requests that are not directly related to an application, or you may need advice from the Council to help determine whether or not you will proceed with a proposal. We are happy to help and provide advice in these instances, too.

Charges for our pre-application service

The first hour of our pre-application service is free. Please note tasks such as preparing or reviewing relevant information, preliminary meetings, emails, or phone calls, as well as administrative tasks will be included in this time. After the first hour of work, we will charge for this service. 

For simple projects pre-application advice may include a phone call or email, or for more complex proposals a review of supporting or technical reports.

The information you provide with your resource consent application helps us evaluate the potential effects of your activities on the environment. It also helps others who may be affected to clearly understand what you’re intending to do.

How we can help

We will adjust our pre-application service to suit your needs. We can offer review and offer advice on:

• types of resource consents needed
• types of resource consents needed
• required supporting information
• people who should be consulted
• application process
• review of technical reports or assessments required
• review of draft applications
• feasibility of your proposal.

Information on the resource consenting process can also be found under:

• Environment Canterbury’s website: Lodge my application
• The Ministry for the Environment’s applying for a resource consent guide.

Charges for processing resource consents

Processing of resource consent applications is a user-pays service, after the free first hour of pre-application service, all staff time is charged at rates set out in our fees and charges policy.

Charges will differ depending on the charge-out rate of the staff member; generally senior consent planners handle more complex applications.

General/other advice

We can also help with questions that are not directly related to a resource consent application. This might be to confirm a rule or policy interpretation, reviewing preliminary planning assessments, advising on feasibility of a proposal, or enquiries about existing resource consents and your responsibilities.

You can also contact us at  ecinfo@ecan.govt.nz or  0800 324 626.

To request pre-application advice or a meeting, or any other general advice, please fill in the following form:

Request advice