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What resource consents are
Resource consents are permits that allow you to use or take water, land or coastal resources. They also allow the discharge of water or wastes into air, water or onto land.
Resource consents include special conditions to protect the environment. Consented activities are monitored to make sure that the conditions are being met.
There are five types of resource consents:
- Land use consents
- Water consents
- Discharge consents
- Coastal consents
- Subdivision consents.
Environment Waikato can only issue types 1-4. District councils issue subdivision consents.
Why we have consents
The Resource Management Act (RMA) gives Environment Waikato responsibility for sustainable management of our region’s natural resources. Sustainable management means:
- allowing people to provide for their social, economic and cultural needs
- safeguarding resources for future generations
- safeguarding the life-supporting capacity of air, water, soil and ecosystems
- avoiding, mitigating (lessening) or remedying any adverse effects of activities on the environment.
The RMA and our regional policies and plans provide rules and guidelines for sustainable resource management. We use these rules to control and monitor the use of our coasts, water, soil and air.
Environment Waikato also takes into account the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and the special relationship Maori have with the land when considering consent applications. Find out about Maori perspectives on the environment.
Farming and agriculture plays a significant part in the Waikato region's economy and lifestyle. This means that much of Environment Waikato’s resource consent and compliance monitoring work involves farming activities or features such as:
- farm animal odour and effluent discharges
- irrigating crops and pasture
- fertilising crops and pasture
- spraying agrichemicals
- drainage
- constructing bridges, culverts and fords
- making ponds and dams
- tracking and earthworks
- clearing vegetation
- farm and household waste dumps and offal holes.
Some of these activities require consents, while others are ‘permitted’ and do not need a consent as long as the activity meets certain conditions.
Our land and soil pages have information on managing:
- cultivation
- farm nutrients
- farm runoff
- peat.
You’ll also find information on minimising pugging and compaction and applying effluent to the land.
The consent application process
During the consent application process, Environment Waikato staff will assess the likely and possible effects of a proposed activity on the surrounding environment and on other people. Staff will also determine what measures need to be taken to avoid, mitigate or remedy any adverse effects. At the end of this decision-making process, council can either grant or decline the application.
See our diagram for more information on the resource consent process.
Consent application notifications
A consent application may need to be notified if:
- a proposed activity is likely to significantly affect the environment
- those persons who Environment Waikato thinks may be affected have not given their written approval for the proposal.
Public notification means that Environment Waikato will put an advertisement with details of the application in the local newspaper and a sign on the proposed site involved. In this case, anybody can make a submission for or against the proposed activity.
Limited notification means that Environment Waikato will send a letter to parties we consider may be potentially affected by your proposal. In this case, only those people contacted by letter by Environment Waikato can make a submission for or against the proposed activity.
Check out the latest consent application notifications.
More information
Report a pollution incident or illegal activity
Please let us know about any activity that may affect our region's coastal, water, soil or air resources. Use our online form to report the activity, or call Environment Waikato's Freephone 0800 800 401. Provide details about where and when the incident or activity took place and, if possible, the offender.
Costs to applicants and holders
There are usually charges associated with applying for and exercising a resource consent. Find out more about these costs.
Annual Plan and Annual Report
Our Annual Plan and Annual Report outline the year’s consent and compliance monitoring activities. We report on the work we propose to do and what we have acheived.
If you have any questions you can also phone consents staff during office hours on Environment Waikato’s Resource Use Freephone 0800 800 402.