Apply for Consents
Resource consents are tools used to enable the sustainable use of natural and physical resources. They help to protect the environment for future generations and ensure resources will be there for those generations too. Getting a resource consent is akin to getting a license, which gives you permission to carry out certain activities.
Our staff are here to help you through the process. More information on what support we can give, as well as consent application forms, can be found further down this webpage.
What are resource consents, and when do you need to get one?
A resource consent in the Horizons Region is based on rules and regulations found in the Resource Management Act and the One Plan. Those rules and regulations outline what can be done with and without a resource consent. There is a range of activities that may require a resource consent, including:
Discharging dairy shed effluent to land
Discharging contaminants into water and air, or onto land
Taking, damming or diverting water
Using, disturbing or building a structure on a river or lake bed
Disturbing or clearing vegetation from erosion-prone land
Using, disturbing or building a structure below the highest point on the coast where the sand gets wet.
Sometimes you may need more than one consent for your proposal. For example, river management works may need a land use consent and a water permit due to where they’re being carried out.
Depending on your work, you may also need to apply for a consent from your city/district council. For example, city and district councils also issue consents for some land uses and subdivisions. You’ll need to contact your city/district council to check if your planned activity requires consent from them.
How do you get a consent?
Just like with any other license or permit, you need to fill out an application to get a resource consent. There is more information down this page to help with applications, including applications forms.
What help is available from Horizons?
We are here to help at various stages throughout the process.
Consents staff
Our Consents team is here to help. Contacting them before submitting an application can save you time, effort and money.
Rural Advice
Our Rural Advice team specialise in optimising on-farm effluent and nutrient use, including effluent discharge consenting and compliance requirements.
District Advice
Our District Advice team gives information and advice to people about natural hazards and One Plan requirements. This includes advice used for city/district council consenting matters.
The Resource Management Act requires us to only accept consent applications which have all necessary information. If applications are missing information, we have to send them back. To avoid this happening, we strongly suggest you seek advice from our Consents Team and/or submit a draft application as early as possible. This means we can review the draft and give advice about what information we need before you submit the actual consent application.
Application forms
There are different application forms for different resource consent applications. These forms are designed to help you provide the information we need to process your application. You can either download every single form, or each individual form as needed.
In some cases, there are also guides for applying for consents or associated forms (e.g. Intensive Winter Grazing Management Plan form). We've looked to group associated forms and guides together to make it easy to find what you need for your resource consent applications.
Compulsory Administration Form
Other consent application forms
Public Map Viewer
The extent of watercourses shown on the One Plan Public Map Viewer as having the Flood Control and Drainage (FC/D) value may not reflect the current extent of the flood control and/or drainage schemes. We recommend you contact our Consents team for advice before applying for consent for works in or near these waterways.
Consent Costs
An initial deposit fee must be paid when lodging your consent application. However, this payment may not cover all required costs for the consent. Section 36(3) of the Resource Management Act gives us the right to recover actual and reasonable costs for consent applications if those costs exceed the initial deposit. If there are additional charges, they will be calculated in line with the schedule of additional charges laid out in our Annual Plan. These additional costs are invoiced directly to the applicant following a decision on your application.
Deposit fees and payment
Fixed initial deposit charges
Drilling of a Well
$575.00
Surface Water Take
Stock Water: $977.50
Irrigation: $1207.50
Other: $1115.00
Groundwater Take
Stock Water: $885.50
Irrigation: $1863.00
Other: $1115.00
Dairyshed Discharge
$885.50
Land use Intensive Farming and Associate Discharges
$1725.00
Land Disturbance/Vegetation Clearance (infield consents)
$200.00
Land Disturbance/Vegetation Clearance (e.g. earthworks)
$920.00
Land Disturbance/Vegetation Clearance (e.g. Forestry activities)
$920.00
Discharge to Water
$1150.00
Discharge to Land
$885.00
Discharge to Air
$1150.00
On-site Wastewater Discharge
$885.50
Gravel Extraction
$1667.50
Works in a Waterbody
$885.50
Transfer of Consent
$100.00
Transfer of Activity Location
$885.50
Change of Consent Conditions
Administration conditions: $500.00
All other conditions: $885.50
Paying your deposit
Payment of your fixed initial deposit can be made by via internet banking. The deposit amount can be paid to 02-0630-0024883-003, using CONSENT HOLDER NAME in the reference field and CONSENTS in code field.
Payments can also be made over the counter at our service centres and offices using credit card, EFTPOS, or cash.
What happens when a consent application is submitted?
• The positive and adverse effects of the activity.
• How adverse effects on the environment and people are proposed to be mitigated/avoided.
• How the proposal fits with rules and regulations such as the Resource Management Act and One Plan.
We may be in touch to ask for further information, and may need to have a site visit. It is also possible we will have to contact people who could be affected by the proposed activity.
Depending on the level of effects the activity could have on the environment, your application will be processed as non-notified, limited notified or publicly notified.
Non-notified application
If the environmental effects of your proposed activity are minor – or, if required, you have received written approval(s) from all adversely affected parties – then your application can be processed on a non-notified basis.
Limited notified application
If the environmental effects of your proposed activity are minor and it has been possible to identify all affected parties, then your application can be processed by limited notification. The only people who can make a submission on a limited notified application are those parties directly notified. A submission period of at least 20 working days is allowed for this. If no submissions are received, then a decision will be made within 20 working days from close of submissions. Limited notified applications (excluding hearing) require a fixed preliminary deposit of $7,500.00 (incl GST).
Publicly notified application
Your application is notified when the environmental effects of the proposed activity are more than minor or significant. Anyone can make a submission on a notified application during a specified period of at least 20 working days. Notified applications (excluding hearing) require a fixed preliminary deposit of $20,000.00 (incl GST).
What happens with information provided in a consent application?
The information you provide with your application, which includes all associated reports and attachments, is considered official information. It will be used to process your application and, together with other official information, assist in the management of the region’s natural and physical resources. Access to information held by Horizons Regional Council and all other councils in Aotearoa New Zealand is administered in accordance with the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, and Privacy Act 2020. This means information may be disclosed in accordance with the terms of these acts. Information in the application may also be made available on our website, and a copy of any consents or processing reports may be made available online.
We can withhold information in certain circumstances. This means it is important you advise us about any concerns you may have about the disclosure of any of the information you have provided in this application. This could include:
personal information
trade secrets
commercially sensitive material
information which, if released, may cause serious offence to tikanga Māori
any other information you consider should not be disclosed.
While we may still have to disclose information under the mentioned legislation, we can consider any concerns you raise.
Any questions?
Get in touch with our Consents team by emailing consents.enquiries@horizons.govt.nz or calling freephone 0508 800 800.