Resource consent hearingsNgā whakawā mō ngā tono whakaaetanga rawa taiao

Hearings

Hearings are formal meetings where a panel of independent hearing commissioners or councillors:

• consider your application
• listen to any evidence for and against your application
• listen to any submissions made
• make a decision on your application

We can process almost all resource consent applications without the need to notify members of the public.

However, sometimes we decide that a proposal is likely to have a broader effect.

We then consider whether to:

• notify those people who may be directly affected (limited notification), or
• notify the public generally (public notification).
  
  

Notified applications

If we notify the application, the public can make submissions on an application and become involved in the hearing of the application.

Limited notification

If your proposal will result in adverse effects on people to the extent we or a planner decide they are "affected" people, we must notify those affected, unless:

• you have already obtained written approval from the affected parties, or
• Napier City Council Operative District Plan or Napier City Council Proposed District Plan regulations that have legal effect prevent us from doing so.

Affected people can make a submission supporting or opposing your application within 20 working days of being notified.

Public notification

If we determine that the effects of a resource consent are more than minor, we may decide to publicly notify your application.

A public notice will appear in newspapers and online.

We will also directly notify adversely affected people and people we are required to notify under the Resource Management Act 1991.

Anyone can make a submission supporting or opposing an application within 20 working days.

Information for applicants and submitters

Make a submission

When a resource consent submission is sent to council, we record it and pass it to the reporting planner. The reporting planner reviews submissions and assesses any issues raised. You must also send a copy of your submission to the applicant.

The planner will note if the submission is in support, opposition, or conditional support.

If there are any specialist issues, such as historic trees or road safety, the planner will generally forward those parts of the submission to the relevant council specialists for comment.

Try and resolve any concerns directly

Applicants and submitters should communicate directly to discuss, identify, and address any concerns.

If concerns cannot be resolved, we may arrange a pre-hearing meeting or refer the parties to mediation. This is an opportunity to clarify and potentially resolve any concerns.

Assessment and hearing report

Once this review is complete, the reporting planner will make an assessment of the application and submissions in a hearing report.

Before the hearing, this report will be circulated to all the parties involved.

You can choose to participate or not participate in the hearing.

Attend a public hearing

If a pre-hearing meeting or mediation is not successful, we will hold a public hearing to decide on the application.

If you change your mind about attending a hearing, advise our resource consent administrators as soon as possible before the date of the hearing, using this email address planning@napier.govt.nz.