Media Release

Release date: Tuesday 3 September 2013

Faster consents for minor building jobs offered

From next week it will be quicker and easier to get a building consent for minor work on your homes in the Gisborne district. Gisborne District Council is launching Fast Track Consents which will enable homeowners wanting to put in a solid wood fire, build a carport, do minor alterations or drainage work to get a building consent in five days rather than the standard up-to-20 working days.

We understand that when people are doing minor renovations to their homes they want to get on with the job rather than waiting around for consent, says building services manager Ian Petty. “Council still has to make sure that all building work is safe and meets the building code. For low risk jobs we have streamlined our processes so this can be done faster."

Fast Track Consents have specific criteria for minor work on residential properties. The job must cost less than $20,000. The criteria are listed below, on the fact sheet available on Council’s website or from Customer Services in Fitzherbert Street or Te Puia Springs.

The list of building work that will qualify for a Fast Track Consent is non-negotiable says Mr Petty. “We have given a lot of thought to which jobs tend to be straight forward and that we are comfortable to fast track. For more complex jobs we may need the 20 days even though we always try to process consent applications as promptly as possible. Once we have Fast Track Consents up and running smoothly we will have a look to see if that list can be expanded. ”

The five day processing starts from the day your consent is accepted at Council’s Customer Service Centre in Fitzherbert Street or Te Puia Springs, as long as it is received before 12 noon.  The application will be checked to make sure the fee is paid and all the information and documents required are included. Only then will the application be accepted and the clock will start ticking.

If there is some information missing the application will revert back to a normal 20 working day consent.

“This is the first part of a revision of Council’s building and resource consenting processes aimed at making it easier for residents to do business with us. If anyone is thinking about doing some building work my main advice would be to contact Council early in the process to see if your plans qualify for a Fast Track Consent.”

Minor building work that Fast Track Consents may apply to:
•          Fires (Solid Fuel Heaters) excluding Zero Tolerance boxes
•          Minor internal alterations  
•          Minor plumbing/drainage work
•          Drain repairs as a result of Council’s infiltration tests
•          Enclose an existing porch  
•          Re-pitch an existing roof  
•          Pergola on existing deck
•          Solar panels
•          New hot water cylinder
•          Factory manufactured conservatory in a reticulated* residential zone but excluding those in flood/site caution
•          Carports up to 36m2 that are open on three sides and on flatland in a reticulated residential zone but excluding those in flood/site caution
•          Proprietary garages up to a maximum size of 36m2 - on flatland in a reticulated* residential zone with no plumbing and drainage, but excludes those with a firewall and/or in a flood/site caution zone. 

ENDS

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