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Additional Rural Services

Submissions And Hearings

Has a resource consent application for a rural development near you been notified?

If you want to stay formally involved in the resource consent process you must make a submission and get involved in the resource consent hearing.

Over our 60+ combined years in the industry we’ve been involved in a significant number of hearings for rural development and rural subdivision- we can make a submission on your behalf, manage the inputs of other specialists, and provide evidence for the Council hearing.

If you already have a lawyer or someone else representing you, we can also provide planning assessments and evidence on its own, working as part of your project team.

Need help with a hearing?

Abatement Notices

Abatement Notices are often the first step in a Council’s enforcement action

Abatement Notices are often the first step in a Council’s enforcement action, when you’ve not obtained the required resource consent.

This should be taken seriously, and you must swiftly comply with the Abatement Notice, which usually requires obtaining resource consent. As a planning consultant with extensive rural experience, we will manage this process for you, liaising with the Council on your behalf, engaging other specialists as needed and managing the resource consent application process for you.

Planning Plus™ will give you reliable planning advice and help resolve the enforcement action as quickly as possible. We’ve helped many clients who’ve had enforcement action taken against them- it’s an unpleasant process but using experienced and professional planners will ensure the issues get resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible, reducing the likelihood of the enforcement action escalating, and reducing your stress.

With over 35 combined years’ experience processing resource consent applications on behalf of Council’s we thoroughly understand both sides of the process and will help you resolve the compliance issues and remove the stress for you.

How can we help with a resource consent application?

Due Diligence

Don’t make assumptions- complete your due diligence thoroughly.

Buying property is a big financial investment, and knowing how you can develop rural land is an important factor to consider. Planning Plus™ will provide you with planning advice on:

  • Existing uses and ensuring these are legally established,
  • Resource consents required to change the use of the land, including subdivision,
  • Planning restrictions on Records of Title and what these mean,
  • Understanding the consent related history of a site.

A development feasibility study will also provide planning advice on how you can develop the land, including risks and opportunities.

We use our 60+ years of experience and 100% success rate to provide you with planning advice you can trust. Make sure you are making a wise investment.

If your development includes rural subdivision, there are constraints and opportunities that you should consider when buying the site and during development design.

See how you can develop rural land

Mediation & Appeals

The Environment Court appeal processes can seem daunting, but in some instances are required to get a good outcome

This can include mediation and if unsuccessful, an Environment Court hearing. Using an experienced planner will ensure that you get accurate advice, professional representation at mediation, comprehensive planning assessment and evidence, and a planner familiar with the process.

We will assist with Environment Court mediation and/ or hearings, enabling you to be confident that all sides of the planning argument are made to the decision makers. Planning Plus® can help ensure your issues are clearly communicated, and that the best outcome is achieved.

“Thank you again for the assistance with the hearing. It’s clear that your evidence was very significant in achieving this outcome.”

Simon Papa