September 2021: Important information about services in current alert levels

Our services in current alert levels

From today (1 September) the majority of our district is in Alert Level 3. Some northern parts of our district have been included in the Auckland and Northland Level 4 area.

We will continue to accept resource consent and building consent applications but there are some changes to be aware of. You'll find information about our specific services below.

Impacts of Covid-19
We want you to know we understand our customer frustrations. Covid-19 has had a big impact and we will continue to do our best to enable solutions for our customers.

Our staff have been impacted by the Covid-19 alert level restrictions in the same way that our customers and community have been. Our staff are mostly working at home, while they continue to provide a service to our communities. Like you, they are trying to look after family members and access essential services. We ask for your patience and understanding during this time.

Resource consent applications

We are still receiving and processing resource consents but these need to be lodged electronically to applications@waidc.govt.nz. We can continue to receive and will start processing 223 and 224 applications but these need to be lodged electronically to subdivisions@waidc.govt.nz.

We still have part of the district in Level 4 so all applications in that area will likely be impacted if we cannot progress them because of the need for field work/site visits. Our team will be relying on official COVID map of the boundary to determine if a site is within the Level 4 area.

Please note: we are still experiencing a huge increase in the number of resource consent applications.

As previously reported, in the 2020/2021 financial year our applications increased by 27%. On average we received 101 applications per month compared with 80 per month; There was also a 17% increase to total pre-application numbers received, to an average of 20 per month.

As a result, we may need to extend processing timeframes for resource consent applications on a case-by-case basis, and as provided for under the Resource Management Act. We will try to keep any extensions to processing timeframes as short as is practicably possible and staff will communicate with applicants if there will be any change in timeframes for their applications.

Resource consents and Land Development Engineers

Site visits
We will be able to undertake site visits and inspections of subdivision works, but on a very limited and controlled basis so they are done in a manner that ensures the safety of customers and staff.

If a site visit or inspection is considered necessary, they will only be able to occur to sites in the Level 3 area and we will work with applicants to arrange how this can be undertaken safely (preferably unaccompanied e.g. contactless). We will not have all staff out in the field – instead we will have a few staff assigned to undertake field work on behalf of all others in the consents team.

Please be aware that these few staff already have significant workloads, and with the challenges of working remotely from their homes, and the addition of safe covid field work practices, it is likely to take longer than normal for any field work to be arranged. As such, these constraints to undertaking work are likely to impact overall processing timeframes.

Please provide photos, videos or drone footage with your applications
We strongly encourage applicants (through agent consultancies & surveying firms) to increase the quantity and quality of illustrative information in applications when lodged. For example, include more photos, videos or drone footage if possible. This will assist staff in making decisions about whether a visit to your site, or an inspection, is necessary.

Duty Planner enquiries

A Duty Planner service is available but we cannot do face-to-face appointments. If you’d like to book an online or phone appointment with a Duty Planner, please phone 0800 492 452.

Reminder: Duty Planner service extended from 3 days to 5 days
In the past financial year, our Duty Planner enquiries have increased by 43%. Due to the huge increase in enquiries, the Duty Planner service has been extended from 3 days to 5 days, as previously reported.

Pre application services

Pre application services continue to be available but we cannot provide face-to-face appointments under Alert Level 4 or 3. If we need to contact you about your pre application, we will do this via email or phone.

LIMs and property enquiries

We are still able to process new LIMs and Property Enquiries except where we cannot access physical records. We will talk to those customers if they are affected.

Building Consents

We are still accepting Building Consent applications. All paperwork and documentation should be emailed to Building.Enquiries@waidc.govt.nz.

Please note: Delay with building consents
We are still receiving an extremely high number of building consent applications.

As previously reported, our building consent applications increased nearly 27%, from 1,914 in 2019/2020 to 2,430 in 2020/2021, or more than 200 a month on average. This is positive news as it shows that people want to live or invest in our district, but it does present significant challenges.

As a result, it is currently taking us more than 20 days to process each consent. We are doing everything we can to get your consent out to you quickly. Thanks for your patience.

Not sure if you need a building consent?
To check if a building consent is required, click here.

Building Inspections

Areas in Level 3
The building inspection process will carry on, with the Level 3 safety procedures followed and building inspectors still working from home.

Building inspections for areas in Level 4
We cannot carry out building inspections for the northern part of our district still in Alert Level 4. For this reason we are not taking bookings for inspections for those in the Alert Level 4 area.

Duty Inspector service

There will be no face-to-face Duty enquiries, so for now it will be email and phone calls only. This service will resume as soon as it is safe to do so.

Got a question?

You'll find information about all our services under Alert Level 3 and Level 4 on our website.

If you have any questions please phone 0800 492 452 or email info@waidc.govt.nz

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Free phone: 0800 492 452

Email: info@waidc.govt.nz