Take your time
Before you give your written approval, you need to think carefully about the possible effects on you of the activity. These might include short-term effects associated with construction, such as noise and dust, as well as longer term effects associated with the activity (such as glare from lights, or a building blocking your sun). You might also need to think about your future relationship with the applicant, especially if you're neighbours.
If you give your written approval, you're saying the activity is fine by you. This means the council can't consider any adverse effects on you when it considers whether to notify and grant or decline the application.
There is no legal time limit on how long you can take to give your written approval - but be fair. You should let the applicant know what you think as soon as you feel you understand what the application might mean for you.
Don't feel you have to sign anything straight away. You can:
- ask the applicant to leave the plans and the AEE with you
- ask the applicant for more information or clarification about particular aspects of the proposal
- get advice from a lawyer, engineer, planning consultant or other expert
- ask council staff for guidance about the process.
Can the council help?
Council staff can:
- tell you about the resource consent process
- answer your questions about the application itself.
Council staff can't:
- tell you whether you should or should not give your written approval
- enforce a side agreement
- accept a conditional approval.
