From 31 August 2020, there are 10 new types of building work that do not require building consent. 

These are:

1.    SINGLE-STOREY DETACHED BUILDINGS

Consent is not required for:

• A kitset / prefabricated building with a maximum floor area of 30 square metres where a manufacturer or supplier has had the design carried out or reviewed by a “Chartered Professional Engineer”.
• Buildings with a maximum floor area of 30 square metres where a “Licensed Building Practitioner” is to carry out or supervise design and construction.
• Buildings with a maximum floor area of 30 squares metres built by a non-professional where only lightweight materials with structural components built in accordance to Building Code compliance B1/AS1 are used.

 2.    CARPORTS UP TO 40 SQUARE METRES

You can build a carport up to 40 square metres if:

• The design has been carried out or reviewed by a “Chartered Professional Engineer”; or
• A “Licensed Building Practitioner’ has carried out or supervised design and construction.

 3.    GROUND FLOOR AWNINGS UP TO 30 SQUARE METRES

You can build an awning of up to 30 square metres on a ground floor if:

• The design has been carried out or reviewed by a “Chartered Professional Engineer”; or
• A “Licensed Building Practitioner’ has carried out or supervised design and construction.

4.    GROUND FLOOR VERANDAS AND PORCHES UP TO 30 SQUARE METRES

You can building a veranda or porch of up to 30 square metres on a ground floor if:

• The design has been carried out or reviewed by a “Chartered Professional Engineer”; or
• A “Licensed Building Practitioner’ has carried out or supervised design and construction.

5.    PERMANENT OUTDOOR FIREPLACES OR OVENS

Consent is not required for a permanent outdoor fireplace or oven built up to a maximum height of 2.5 metres, and with a maximum cooking surface of 1 square metres, as long as it is at least 1 metre away from any legal boundary or building. 

Local government restrictions on lighting open fires in a particular area will still apply. 

 6.    FLEXIBLE WATER STORAGE BLADDERS

Consent is not required for flexible water storage bladders supported on the ground, for irrigation or firefighting purposes, of up to 200,000 litres in storage capacity.

7.    GROUND-MOUNTED SOLAR ARRAY PANELS

Consent is not required:

• In urban zones, for ground-mounted solar array panels up to 20 square metres which can be built without the help of a professional.
• In urban zones, for ground-mounted solar array panels up to 40 square metres where the design has been carried out or reviewed by a “Chartered Professional Engineer”.
• In rural zones, for ground-mounted solar array panels of any size which can be built without the help of a professional.

8.    SMALL PIPE SUPPORTING STRUCTURES

Consent is not required for small pipe supporting structures if they only carry water and are on private land.

 9.    SHORT-SPAN (SMALL) BRIDGES

Consent is not required for a short-span bridge if the general public cannot access it and it does not span a road or rail area.  The design will need to be carried out or reviewed by a “Chartered Professional Engineer”.

 10.  SINGLE-STOREY POLE SHEDS AND HAY BARNS IN RURAL ZONES

Consent is not required for a single-storey pole shed or hay barn in a rural zone with a maximum floor area of 110 square metres if:

• The design has been carried out or reviewed by a “Chartered Professional Engineer”; or
• A “Licensed Building Practitioner’ has carried out or supervised design and construction.

Building work that does not require a building consent must still comply with the Building Code and other legislative requirements (e.g. resource management rules and health and safety obligations). 

If you are carrying out any building work, whether personally or via a qualified tradesperson, it is extremely important that you ensure you have obtained the necessary consent/s before starting work. 

If you have any concerns about what consent is required for your project, or you have undertaken building work without obtaining consent, talk with your experienced legal advisor for advice appropriate to your situation.  If you don’t, this can create serious issues when selling your property, as well as issues with getting or maintaining insurance for your property.

Leading law firms committed to helping clients cost-effectively will have a range of fixed-priced Initial Consultations to suit most people’s needs in quickly learning what their options are.  At Rainey Collins we have an experienced