Consent and council paperwork support for builders

Where builders actually get stuck

Most builds don't stall because of the build. They stall on paper. These are the four hold-ups we see every week on Christchurch sites.

The Section 92 that lands mid-programme

The consent was lodged months ago, everything looked fine, and now CCC wants more information: parking dimensions redrawn, a site coverage recalculation, a stormwater detail. Under Section 92 of the RMA, the processing clock stops the moment that letter is issued. Your programme doesn't stop with it. The framing crew is booked, the roofer's slotted in behind them, and the consent is sitting in a queue waiting on a response nobody's written.

A fast, complete s92 response is what restarts the clock. A half-answer just buys you a second letter and another three weeks. If you want the full rundown before you hand it over, our guide covers what to do when council sends an s92. Sending us the letter is faster.

The vehicle crossing that holds up handover

On new builds and infill jobs around Christchurch, the crossing is the classic last-minute problem. CCC won't sign it off until it's built to the approved drawing and inspected, and inspection slots don't appear the day you ask for them. Leave it to the final week and the homeowner gets the keys late, which means you get paid late.

The CAR nobody lodged before the digger arrived

If any part of the job touches the road corridor, excavating the berm, cutting a crossing, storing materials or a skip on the street, connecting services, you need a Corridor Access Request approved before work starts. CARs go through MyWorksites, usually need a traffic management plan attached, and Christchurch City Council expects lead time. "The digger's booked for Monday" is not a lead time.

Consent conditions nobody read

The consent came back granted with fourteen conditions. Condition six needs a construction traffic management plan before site establishment. Condition eleven needs a specific pavement detail at the crossing. Somebody has to track all of that against the build sequence, and it shouldn't be you at 9pm.

What we take off your plate

• Consent conditions and RFI responses: we read the s92 or the condition schedule, work out what council is actually asking for, and draft the response so the clock restarts on the first reply, not the third.
• Vehicle crossing applications and sign-off: access assessment, application, the CAR and TMP behind the physical works, and the CCC inspection booked early enough to protect your handover date.
• CAR before the digger arrives: we lodge the Corridor Access Request through MyWorksites with the TMP attached, and we tell you honestly whether your start date is realistic.
• TMP and temporary traffic management: lane closures, footpath management, stop/go and site access setups, designed and submitted with the CAR so nothing bounces.

A recent builder job

How we work with builders

• Fixed-scope quote before we start. You know what the council side costs before you commit, so it goes in the job budget, not on your overdraft.
• One point of contact. You send the letter, the plans or the site address; we come back with the next step in plain language. No 30-page memos.
• Programme-aware advice. We explain when approvals are likely to affect site mobilisation or crew bookings.

Building for a homeowner who's the one holding the council letter? Point them at our consent help for homeowners page. We'll explain it to them in plain English and keep your job moving. Working from an architect's or designer's drawings? We back up architects and designers on the consent side too, without taking over their client. Builders are one of six groups we work with; who we help has the full list.

Frequently asked questions