Vetting of your application

The statutory 20 working day clock doesn't start until the day after you submit your application to us.

After you submit your application it is vetted for completeness. This involves checking your application against the requirements of section 45 of the Building Act (see section on information required for your building consent and/or PIM).

Your application is allocated a unique number (your building consent number) during the vetting process – please use this number whenever you contact us to speed up finding information about your consent.

If your application is incomplete or not up to quality it may be refused (see Checking that you've supplied a quality application).

Where there is missing information you’ll be sent a vetting request for further information. This will tell you what information still needs to be supplied.

Vetting is completed only after all the information we need has been received. Your application is accepted at this point and the 20 day working day timeframe begins.

Assessment of your application

Processing of your application will not start immediately - your application is added to the processing queue where it may sit for a number of days before it is picked up for processing. All consents are queued for processing based on first in first served basis.

During processing your application is circulated to the various specialities within Council to assess your project for compliance against legal requirements – ie planning, engineering, building, water, drainage, etc.

Your design and specifications are assessed against the following

  • Building Act 2004
  • New Zealand Building Code
  • relevant New Zealand Standards
  • any alternative solutions as applicable
  • Resource Management Act
  • Selwyn District Plan
  • Regional Authority consents.

The information that you provide with your application needs to be clear on how you meet all relevant legislation.

During processing your application will also be checked for the following as relevant

Requests for further information

If there are any questions or concerns identified during the review, you’ll receive a letter requesting further information or clarification. At this point your application is put on hold until all requested information is provided – pausing the 20 working day clock.

Legislation requires building consent decisions to be made on the basis of being ‘satisfied on reasonable grounds’ that the work you propose is compliant with the building code. This means that any additional information or clarification we ask for is to help with making that decision.

We KNOW the pressure is on - so to help make processing of your consent more efficient

  • Provide ALL your responses to an RFI in ONE go, using AlphaOne email only (e.g. 21XXXX@sdc.abcs.co.nz)
    • this avoids messages getting lost and creating delays
    • and helps us keep more accurate track of the statutory clock.

The ability to respond to RFIs online (i.e. portal communications) has been turned off.

The 20 working day statutory clock only restarts the day after we have received sufficient information from the RFI to make a decision.

Tracking progress of your application

You can track progress of your application using our online electronic consenting system.

If you don’t have access

  • ask your agent to provide you with access, or
  • create your own login and contact us on 03 347 2839 – providing us with your building consent number so that can give you access.

Consent documents created

Once the Building Control Officer has reviewed all information supplied and is satisfied on reasonable grounds that compliance is achieved your building consent documents will be produced. This should occur within the 20 working day period from your application being accepted. You’ll then be notified of the fees to be paid. Your building consent will be granted once all the fees have been paid in full (see section on building consent granted for further details).