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Auckland Council adjusts building and resource consent services under Alert Level 4: how will your project be affected?

Auckland Council recently published an announcement on its website outlining changes to building consent, resource consent and regulatory engineering services under Alert Level 4. The New Zealand Chinese Building Industry Association and YIJU New Zealand therefore jointly remind Chinese construction industry colleagues to adjust their plans to suit their projects’ progress in response to the sudden move to Alert Level 4.

Under the New Zealand Government’s rules for the different alert levels, all industries other than essential services, such as supermarkets, pharmacies and medical clinics, and lifeline utilities must close. This includes the construction industry. If work is found to be taking place on a construction site, the people and companies involved face substantial fines. So what can Chinese builders do under Alert Level 4, and what is prohibited? Let us explain:

First, open letters published on Auckland Council’s website by the general managers of its resource consents, building consents and regulatory engineering services departments explain that: Although New Zealand is at Alert Level 4, Auckland Council will continue providing building application services to the public. Auckland Council’s customer service centres will be closed during this period, but council staff will continue working remotely from home. The announcement outlines the services the council will continue providing under Alert Level 4 and the rules people must follow. These cover resource consent applications, building consent applications, code compliance certificates, building inspection arrangements, and other applications and enquiries.

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Building consents:

Building Consents General Manager Ian McCormick has confirmed that staff will continue working remotely and online services will remain available. Building consent and code compliance certificate applications will be processed and issued electronically, rather than on paper. Any paper applications submitted before lockdown will be digitised and processed only when the alert level drops to level two or below. In other words, applicants wanting faster processing are encouraged to resubmit their applications through the council website. All building warrant of fitness (WOF) applications will likewise be accepted and processed electronically. Pre-application meetings and free advice sessions can take place only by telephone or online conference. In addition:

  • Vehicle crossing applications will be processed electronically and can be emailed to vehiclecrossings@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz;
  • Producer statement registrations and renewals will be processed digitally and can be emailed to producerstatement@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.
  • IQP applications will be processed electronically and can be emailed to iqpr@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.
  • BWOF applications will be processed electronically and can be emailed to regsupportbwof@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.

Building inspections

All inspections booked during Alert Level 4 will be cancelled. Customers can rebook once the alert level permits inspections to resume. The council will also suspend on-site swimming pool fencing inspections. Council staff will contact anyone with an existing booking. Any swimming pool presenting a safety risk can be reported by calling 09 301 0101. All routine inspections booked during Alert Level 4 will be rescheduled, with on-site inspections taking place when conditions allow. During Alert Level 4, building inspections will be limited to essential services or business premises: work related to medical services, ambulances, fire services and police that supports the pandemic response, or urgent work to make a site safe.

  • Visit the MBIE website at https://www.building.govt.nz/covid-19/alert-level-4/ for information on what qualifies as essential work.
  • To book an inspection, email BCdispatcher@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz 
  • or call 021 572 013.

Resource consent services

Like the building consents department, Resource Consents General Manager Ian Smallburn has confirmed that his staff will continue working remotely and online services will remain available. Resource consent applications will therefore be processed electronically, rather than on paper. Pre-application meetings can take place only by telephone or online conference, such as Skype or Teams, rather than in person.  

  • Any resource consent enquiries can be emailed to regionalplanninghelpdesk@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.

Regulatory engineering services

Similarly, Regulatory Engineering Services General Manager Daniel Sansbury has confirmed that resource consent applications will be processed electronically, rather than on paper. Pre-application meetings can take place by telephone or online conference, such as Skype or Teams, rather than in person. Customers with resource consent enquiries can email regionalplanninghelpdesk@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.

 

Further information about essential services during the outbreak can

be found on the COVID-19 website.

https://covid19.govt.nz/business-and-money/businesses/

 

Please see the attachments for updates on services and procedures under Alert Level 4.

The online versions of these updates are also available through the links below.

Building consents: https://engage.ubiquity.co.nz/campaigns/Template/viewonline/1ghDZoJ30UuQDwjZYlEnng

Resource consents: https://engage.ubiquity.co.nz/campaigns/Template/viewonline/8cD4bcG3jEq1kQjZYlED6A

Regulatory engineering: https://engage.ubiquity.co.nz/campaigns/Template/viewonline/OVc_49O4nUe7DAjZYlE7dg