Progress to change the building consent system continues with the sector and public encouraged to have their say on how it could be improved.
“Following last year’s consultation, we have developed options to get a more efficient building consent system, that should minimise unnecessary delays in the building process,” says Building and Construction Minister, Hon Dr Megan Woods.
“There are opportunities to improve the system, such as through better delivery of building consent services, removing barriers to alternative products being used. Any improvements to the building consent system that increase efficiency and provide greater certainty as to what can be built will help housing affordability, so it’s really important that those in the sector and the wider public feedback on what's proposed."
She said consultation on the paper is a milestone in the Government’s response to the Commerce Commission’s Market Study Into Residential Building Supplies. Potential reform options in the paper address several recommendations made by the Commission in its final report.
“Ensuring we enable timely processing of consents will help speed up the delivery of housing and other buildings. It is a critical part of the work we are doing to improve the efficiency of the sector,” Woods said.
In 2022, the Government released the Building Consent System Review Issues Discussion Document and opened public consultation on feedback on issues within the building consent system.
The Building Consent System Review Options Paper released on June 8 sets out a broad range of options and initiatives developed to address the issues identified.
Feedback is sought in the following eight areas:
- Promoting competition in the building regulatory system,
- Removing impediments to product substitution and variations,
- Strengthening roles and responsibilities,
- New assurance pathways,
- Better delivery of building consent services,
- Better performance monitoring and system stewardship,
- Better responding to the needs and aspirations of Māori
- Addressing the interface between the building and resource consent processes.
The consultation seeks feedback on options to improve consistency of decision-making across councils, support better delivery of building consent services and alleviate capability and capacity constraints. These options include addressing barriers to voluntary amalgamation, providing greater national direction and building greater collective capability across the country.
The public consultation is open from 8 June for eight weeks, submissions closing at 5:00pm on 7 August.
