Apply for Building Consent

The Council’s Building Services Team is tasked with ensuring that all building and plumbing / drainage works within the Whanganui District receive a building consent in a timely manner, and that they are inspected at defined intervals to ensure compliance with the national Building Code.

The Building Act 2004, the majority of which was implemented in March 2005, requires increased levels of in-house assessment of plans supplied and increased rigour for on-site inspections. The Council is accredited by International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) and registered as a Building Consent Authority (BCA) by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

From 17 July 2024, all new applications for a resource consent, building consent, or service connection will be assessed to see if they need to pay development contributions – fees payable to the council to fund the infrastructure required to support growth such as new roads, pathways, pipes, and parks.

Find out more about development contributions.

 

Apply online

Please note that all information provided as part of a building consent application is considered public information and will be accessible by people who seek to view the council’s property file relating to your property.

Step 1.Before you start

You will need to create a RealMe account to access the Council’s online application form. This will allow you to log in to Online Services website where you can complete the application form.

Important information

  • Certificate of title (less than three months old) is required for all new buildings and external building work
  • All consent notices, building line restrictions, encumbrances and easement instruments. Note: If a cross lease, please also provide a flats plan (including 211 conditions when applicable)
  • Property owner identification, eg: rates notice for internal work
  • Owner authorisation if you are acting on behalf of an owner
  • Licensed building practitioner (LBP) memoranda or owner / builder declaration
  • Fire design for commercial projects
  • Existing compliance schedule number (for alterations to commercial buildings)
  • Specified system requirements for commercial buildings (including cable cars) that include current:
    • performance standard(s) (including version / parts etc)
    • inspection procedures
    • maintenance procedures
    • reporting procedures
    • frequency of inspections and responsibilities (company / individual for items above).

To make an appointment with a member of our Building Control Team to find out more about how to lodge your application, please call 06 349 0001.

Step 2.Apply online

Visit Online Services

If you need assistance, please call our Building Administration Team on (06) 349 0001 to make an appointment with a dedicated staff member to take you through the online application process.

Step 3.What next?

Applications for building consents must be processed within 20 days working days. Requests for further information will stop the statutory clock and it is not restarted until all the required information is supplied.

Paper building consent applications may incur increased costs for items such as scanning.

All data is securely held in Council files, as well as electronically, and is made available for public viewing where allowable under the Privacy Act.

Apply in person

Please note that all information provided as part of a building consent application is considered public information and will be accessible by people who seek to view the council’s property file relating to your property.

Visit our Customer Services at 101 Guyton Street, Monday to Friday, 8.30am–5.00pm.

Overview

The Council’s Building Services Team is tasked with ensuring that all building and plumbing / drainage works within the Whanganui District receive a building consent in a timely manner, and that they are inspected at defined intervals to ensure compliance with the national Building Code.

The Building Act 2004, the majority of which was implemented in March 2005, requires increased levels of in-house assessment of plans supplied and increased rigour for on-site inspections. The Council is accredited by International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) and registered as a Building Consent Authority (BCA) by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

Applying for a building consent

Apply for a building consent online

Applying for a building consent can now be done online.

Applications for building consents must be processed within 20 days working days. Requests for further information will stop the statutory clock and it is not restarted until all the required information is supplied.

To assist with the application process, a dedicated person will help with lodging the online applications and a computer will be available at Council Customer Services, 101 Guyton Street. 

To make an appointment with a member of our Building Administration Team to find out more about how to lodge your application, please call (06) 349 0001.

Paper building consent applications may incur increased costs for items such as scanning.

All data is securely held in Council files, as well as electronically, and is made available for public viewing where allowable under the Privacy Act.  

Frequently asked questions

What if I don't have a computer at home, or don't know how to use one?

To help people get used to the new online process, the Council team will supply a dedicated person to help with applications and make a computer available at the Council's Guyton Street building for this purpose. If you don't already have an email address, you will need to set one up to apply for a building consent. 

To book an appointment with our Environmental Administration Team, please call (06) 349 0001.    

Do I still have to pay for a deposit?

The requirement for a deposit at the application stage will be removed, with full and final payment required when the building consent application has been granted. 

How will building consents be pre-vetted?

All online building consent applications will continue to undergo a rigorous pre-vetting process, but this will now be undertaken electronically. The electronic process will allow the vetting officer to add comments to the checklist and return an application where any missing items can then be included for re-submission. 

Do the timelines for building consents change?

No. The Council must still meet the statutory 20-day time frame to process applications. 

Does the content of the assessment change?

No, the consent process will just be online now, rather than on paper. 

How do I receive my plans?

Once your application has been approved, you will be sent an email with your outstanding balance. Once this is paid, either through the Council's online services web portal, or by visiting Council Customer Services, you will get an email with a link to the plans. At this link you can download, save and print your plans. 

Will the fee be the same?

Yes. 

What happens if my building consent is declined?

You will receive an email and be asked to amend your application and submit it again. 

What if I want to share an application with another RealMe user?

You can. Once you have a draft consent you need to click on the group symbol.

You can then select which permissions you wish to give the other person. All the permissions are explained when you hover over the '?' symbol. Put the other person's email in the user email field, then send. They will then get an email alert which they will need to follow. (Please note that the email must be linked to an existing RealMe account).

With a consent that is already submitted, go into the user section and add their email address. Please be aware that although they can see the consent they will not get email alerts when the consent is updated unless they were added as either the owner or applicant. 

What if I am the applicant but the invoice needs to be paid by someone else?

In this case, all you would need to do is put the person's name who is responsible for the invoice in the 'Authorisation' section of the application. We will then update the invoice, but please remember that only the applicant and any other users that the consent has been shared with will see this, so it is up to the applicant to forward this onto the payer. 

What do I do when I receive an alert from RealMe?

If your consent is declined at the initial stage then you should have received a PDF which will explain what you are missing and what you need to resubmit.

If your consent has been accepted and you receive an email alert, then log in to RealMe and go into 'My account'→'Submitted Applications', click on the relevant file and then click on the 'File' tab and you will see what file has been uploaded on that day. Please call us on 06 349 0001 if you have trouble finding anything. 

Find out more about privacy and security when using RealMe

What if I don't have a computer at home, or don't know how to use one?

To help people get used to the new online process, the Council team will have a dedicated person to help with applications and make a computer available at Council Customer Services, 101 Guyton Street. If you don't already have an email address, you will need to set one up to apply for a building consent. 

To book an appointment with one of the Building Administration Team, please call (06) 349 0001.    

Do I still have to pay for a deposit?

The requirement for a deposit at the application stage will be removed, with full and final payment required when the building consent application has been granted. 

How will building consents be pre-vetted?

All online building consent applications will continue to undergo a rigorous pre-vetting process, but this will now be undertaken electronically. The electronic process will allow the vetting officer to add comments to the checklist and return an application where any missing items can then be included for re-submission. 

Do the timelines for building consents change?

No. The Council must still meet the statutory 20-day time frame to process applications. 

Does the content of the assessment change?

No, the consent process will just be online now, rather than on paper. 

How do I receive my plans?

Once your application has been approved, you will be sent an email with your outstanding balance. Once this is paid, either through the Council's online services web portal, or by visiting our Customer Services Desk, you will get an email from RealMe with a link to the plans. At this link you can download, save and print your plans. 

Will the fee be the same?

Yes. 

What happens if my building consent is declined?

You will receive an email and be asked to amend your application and submit it again. 

What is RealMe?

RealMe is a digital ID service created by the Department of Internal Affairs and New Zealand Post which allows people to prove who they are online when using New Zealand websites and services. 

Is RealMe safe and secure?

RealMe does not store information, but acts as a conduit to help people share their information with participating organisations who need it. Users of RealMe can always see and approve the information they share. 

What if I want to share an application with another RealMe user?

You can. Once you have a draft consent you need to click on the group symbol.

You can then select which permissions you wish to give the other person. All the permissions are explained when you hover over the '?' symbol. Put the other person's email in the user email field, then send. They will then get an email alert which they will need to follow. (Please note that the email must be linked to an existing RealMe account).

With a consent that is already submitted, go into the user section and add their email address. Please be aware that although they can see the consent they will not get email alerts when the consent is updated unless they were added as either the owner or applicant. 

What if I am the applicant but the invoice needs to be paid by someone else?

In this case, all you would need to do is put the person's name who is responsible for the invoice in the 'Authorisation' section of the application. We will then update the invoice, but please remember that only the applicant and any other users that the consent has been shared with will see this, so it is up to the applicant to forward this onto the payer. 

What do I do when I receive an alert from RealMe?

If your consent is declined at the initial stage then you should have received a PDF which will explain what you are missing and what you need to resubmit.

If your consent has been accepted and you receive an email alert, then log in to RealMe and go into 'My account'→'Submitted Applications', click on the relevant file and then click on the 'File' tab and you will see what file has been uploaded on that day. Please call us on 06 349 0001 if you have trouble finding anything. 

Find out more about privacy and security when using RealMe

What if I don’t want my personal information to be publicly available?

If you are concerned about your information being accessible by other members of the public, please contact us on 06 349 0001, or yourcouncil@whanganui.govt.nz.

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