Auckland Council - Resource Consent 'processing fees'

[DIY_guy]

Hi,

There is now a deposit of $2,500 for resource consent applications in Auckland (used to be $1,500 less than 2 months ago).

We're at the tail end of our subdivision process and I'd like to know *generally* how much council processing fees are for resource consent applications. We've used a credible consultancy to assist us, so I'm hopeful our application is complete and all required documents have been supplied.

I heard a number like $12 - $14K for council just to process a simple 2-lot residential subdivision. This is of course seperate to the $24K contribution fees, LINZ fees, certification etc. Yikes.

Going on the estimate above, at the rate of roughly $150 p/h, that would suggest roughly 80 - 90 hours... which seems like a long time just to review the application... given all the hard work has already been completed by certified professionals.

(source) : http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/E...esourceLim.pdf

Can anyone provide any insight or ideally can speak from experience?

Cheers

[Davo36]

Speak from experience? Read my thread here and then on my blog called 'Davo Tries Again'

I can't answer your questions exactly, but basically they charge the max they can get away with. And they don't even try to justify that. So they won't necessarily give you an account saying 1) x hours by planner, 2) x hours by admin staff etc.

There'll be some of that, but it will be very vague and you know, good luck in challenging it.

There is now a deposit of $2,500 for resource consent applications in Auckland (used to be $1,500 less than 2 months ago).

Yes this is the council doing their bit for affordable housing

There are 3 reasons we have a housing shortage in Auckland: 1) The council, 2) The council, and 3) The council.

They like their control and money dude.

[John the builder]

it is only a deposit and must be justified later but when you are desperate for consent most pay whatever

More should then run and official complaint fro overcharging?

[DIY_guy]

Thanks guys. Can you provide any insight as to their fees though? I mean, $2,500 is very different to $14,000....

Anyone else have experience with simple resource consent processing fees?

[NomoneyNotalk]

Hi DIY,

Your number is about right. My fee estimate is 13000 plus gst, and also there are some other costs like flood report, and architect fee to draw the house plan. So would be like $20k when gst is included. In some case need extra cost for the storm water. And then the expensive contribution. In total around 50K to do subdivision.

No wonder houses are expensive, and they blame investors for that? After paying so much fee to council and we still get blamed?

[NomoneyNotalk]

Thanks guys. Can you provide any insight as to their fees though? I mean, $2,500 is very different to $14,000....

Anyone else have experience with simple resource consent processing fees?

Resource consent processing fee is between $3000-$4000. But you also have to pay when you make a phone call to council to discuss your case sometimes, somewhere around $180 per hour. I think when they reply your email they also have similar charges.

[DIY_guy]

So you resource consent processing fees were $3,000 - $4,000. Is that what you were charged? Were there any *issues* or non-compliant activities within your application?

[NomoneyNotalk]

Processing fees consist of different kinds of fees. I am doing subdivision now, I just paid council deposit fee of 2500. But from the previous experience there was some other extra fees to be charged, and the deposit fee was not enough so had to pay some extra in the end.

There were some issues like storm water, i had to make sure the water doesn't cause flooding. So council might recommend construction of water tank to contain storm water or build a stormwater drainage line. These things will cost money too. And sometimes council need to visit the site and you will be charged for it.

The cost might vary for different properties as they have different things to comply.

[Perry]

Fun Times Ahead

Key gets tough on Auckland with new policy forcing councils to release land
27 May 2016

The Prime Minister has come down hard on Auckland saying a new policy will force the city's council to release more land and bring down house prices. "If the land price is going up too quickly (councils) have to amend their plans to release enough land, and if they don't do that they'll breach the law." A National Policy Statement did not require Parliament to pass legislation, Key said. A recent decision on the Resource Management Act showed the Courts thought National Policy Statements took precedence over other things, Key said. It would mean developers could take legal action.

The effect of the National Policy Statement would vary around the country, but in essence it linked the price of land to demand in the economy. "There won't be a debate about whether Councils release more land; they'll be releasing more land." Auckland's Metropolitan Urban Limit (MUL), introduced in the early 1990s to restrict urban development, was "a failed experiment, utterly failed", he said. It had encouraged people to land bank.

"What will ultimately happen is the developer will go along and say, 'I want to zone this residential', and if the council say no and the developer takes the council to court, the developer will win," he said.

[eri]

^

"If the land price is going up too quickly (councils) have to amend their plans to release enough land, and if they don't do that they'll breach the law."

It would mean developers could take legal action.

"If the Unitary Plan doesn't meet the demands of Auckland,

the National Policy Statement because of the way it works will drive it, mark my words," the Prime Minister said.

give the man a prize

[Davo36]

Yep, only 8 years after getting into office, they're actually doing something!

[eri]

to be fair

city councils all over the world

fight tooth and nail

any attempt by central gov. to 'tell them what to do'

central gov. only get a political pass from voters to sort council chaos

when it becomes evident to all

how out of depth they are

ie chch

[eri]

would this be economically viable in ak?

or would the consent process financially strangle it?

who's got the initial $2500 to find out?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/ho...o-owners-needs