Other residential building consents

Building consent application forms are available from the Nelson City Council building counter, Civic House, 110 Trafalgar Street, Nelson, or you can download one on this page. You are also able to submit a targeted consent application for any of the following projects - see the page to the right under 'Related Links' for more specific information on that consent.

  • Bathroom alterations
  • Demolitions
  • Proprietary garages
  • Marquees
  • Solar systems
  • Swimming pool fences
  • Woodburners

For all other consents, continue reading this page.

Download

Download the residential/commercial building consent application (PDF @ 240KB).

Full list of building consent materials

Get a complete list of downloadable building consent applications, guides, and checklists.

What to include with the consent application

Applications can be complex. Council recommends you engage a professional to help with the design work and drawings.

Applications must include:

  • 2 full sets of plans and an extra set of floor plans
  • 2 sets of specifications
  • 2 sets of engineering calculations (if applicable)
  • 2 sets of wall bracing calculations (if applicable)
  • Weather-tightness risk matrix (if applicable)
  • Payment for fixed fee consents, such as woodburner installations, demolition, and marquees
  • Certificate of Title: recent search copy less than 6 months old, plus a sale and purchase agreement if not in the applicant’s name. If the site is new and does not yet have a Title, then subdivision scheme plan is required
  • All other documentation as stated on the checklist that is relevant to your project
    • Copies of drawings as specified on the cover sheet
    • Site plan, showing buildings, ground and floor levels, and dimensions
    • Outline floor plans (for all floors)
    • Outline elevations
    • Outline cross sections
    • Project Information Memorandum (PIM) – if already issued
    • Foundation plans (timber or concrete slab)
    • Drainage plans
    • Detailed floor plans
    • Detailed elevations
    • Cross sections
    • Timber treatment
    • Framing details
    • Construction details
    • Weathertightness details and risk matrix for each elevation Internal waterproofing details
    • Plumbing details
    • Specifications
    • Bracing design
    • Roof truss design
    • Ground conditions report
    • Engineers details & producer statement
    • Sediment control management plan

Once you have gathered all the necessary information, you can either post it to Nelson City Council, PO Box 645, Nelson 7040, or bring it into the Building Counter. Make sure your application form is completed and signed.

Checking the application

A Customer Services Officer at the Council will check your application to ensure the right sort of documents have been provided. (This is not, however, the technical check). If the application is incomplete, it will not be accepted by the Council, and the applicant will be advised to re-lodge the application with the correct documentation. If the application is verified as complete, we will issue a unique identifying number to you, and take the documents for further technical checking.

The application is then forwarded to an Applications Officer for pre-lodgement vetting, and to determine if there is enough technical detail and information to continue the detailed processing. If there is insufficient detailed information on the application, Council will not accept it for processing (ie. will reject it) and will send you a list itemising what information is required before we can lodge your consent and start processing your application.

Incomplete applications take a lot of time to work through and this slows the process for other people. Please be conscientious when submitting your application.

Use the checklists available from our Customer Services Officers, or on the website, to pre-check your application, before bringing it into Council. Get a complete list of downloadable building consent applications, guides, and checklists.

Make sure that you, or your agent, arranges for any inspections that your engineer or consultant is required to carry out, and advise Council when these are completed. If these inspections are not carried out, the Council may have difficulty issuing the Code Compliance Certificate.

Building Inspection

What inspections will be needed?

The officer processing your application will do an assessment to determine what inspections will be necessary so that the Council can be satisfied that the building works will achieve compliance with the plans as approved. A list of inspections and requirements for each inspection will be attached to the building consent.

Please ensure that you read the inspection requirements and are familiar with them before starting building work.

Inspections are required for all stages of construction

  • Excavation/Foundation/Reinforcing or Piled Foundation
  • Concrete floor/Damp proof membrane or timber floor framing
  • Building framing and exterior building wrap
  • Flashings
  • Exterior cladding
  • Pre-lining including insulation to floors, walls and ceilings
  • Plumbing and drainage
  • Roof framing and roof underlay
  • Internal linings and bracing
  • Bathroom/wet areas waterproofing
  • Final inspection of all building works including exterior and finished ground levels.

Any safety equipment required for the inspection, such as scaffolding or high ladders, are expected to be provided on site for the inspection.

Inspections by external specialists

In addition to the Council’s inspection, it may be necessary, in special circumstances, for external specialists to conduct inspections that fall outside the normal building inspection process, such as having a geo-technical engineer confirm ground stability, or having an aspect of specific structural design checked by a chartered professional engineer.

If a specialist inspection is necessary, you will be advised before the consent is issued. This would be included in the inspection codes or addendum to building consent.

Booking an inspection

When you are fully ready for an inspection, please contact the inspection administrators, phone +64 3 546 0344, and make sure you have the following information available:

  • Site address
  • Building consent number
  • Name and phone number of contact person on site
  • Date and time the inspection is required
  • Type of inspection, eg. plumbing, drainage, foundation etc.

Important notes

  • Please give at least 3 working days advance notice of your inspection request. Council endeavours to arrange inspections as soon as possible, however in periods of high building activity or staff absence, the inspection may need to be slightly later.
  • It is your responsibility (or your builder’s) to notify Council that you require an inspection.
  • Make sure you have the approved plans and documentation on-site. If these are not available when the inspector arrives, the inspection may not take place, and you may be charged extra for a re-inspection.
  • The owner, or builder, or agent (eg. architect) should be on site for all inspections.

Result of the inspection

If the work passes

The Inspector will advise the person on-site if the inspection has been passed.

If the work fails the inspection

The work to be rectified will be recorded on the site inspection sheet, and a “Notice to Fix” or “Advice Notice” will be issued. Another inspection will be required, to inspect this remedial work.

You may be charged for a re-inspection; if so, this will need to be paid before the Code Compliance Certificate can be issued.

Notice to Fix

This is a formal notice issued by the building consent authority, advising that certain works have not been carried out in accordance with the building consent or Building Code. If issued, a letter explaining the process will accompany it.

If a Notice to Fix is issued, you are required to address the issues identified within a prescribed timeframe, to prevent further action being taken.

Enforcement of Notices to Fix is carried out by the Council’s monitoring contractor, Environmental Inspections Ltd.

Final Inspection

All building consents require a final inspection. The building work approved in the building consent should be completed within two years of the date of the building consent.

If the work is not going to be completed within 2 years, it is essential that you advise the Council, and request an extension of time.

Code Compliance Certificate

When all the building work is completed in accordance with the building consent, a Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) can be issued. This is a verification from the building consent authority that all works undertaken comply with the building consent and the NZ Building Code. It is an important document, and should be retained for future reference.

You can apply for a CCC by sending the Council the completed application form, after your final inspection has been passed. Council has 20 days in which to decide whether to issue, or refuse to issue, a CCC. If the building consent was issued under the 1991 Act, Council may issue a CCC, if we are satisfied that the building work complies with the Building Code and the Building Act.

Older building consents do present Council with a problem when considering the issue of a CCC, particularly when we are looking at construction details and the maintenance history. If Council is not able to confirm the necessary details, we may decline to issue a CCC. If Council refuses to issue a CCC, and if you consider this is not justified, you can apply to the Department of Building and Housing for a determination.

Important note

A building consent may lapse if the work is not started within 12 months after the date of issue of the consent. Please let the Council know if you will require more time to begin work.

Print this guide

You can print out this Guide to Applying for a Building Consent. Download the full guide to applying for a building consent (PDF @ 100KB)