Any development, subdivision or other proposed use of a site must be assessed against the Council's District Plan. Anything not permitted by the Plan requires a resource consent.
Permitted Activity
Each District Plan allows some activities to proceed as a Permitted Activity. There are differences, depending on whether a site is in a Residential, Rural, Industrial or Town Centre environment. If a proposal does not comply with all the standards for the environment it occupies, then a resource consent is required.
Don't be afraid to talk to your neighbours, if you think your proposal might affect their property.
Activities that may require a resource consent range from building a new deck, to planning a new multi-level apartment building, to wanting to set up a work from home business.
Resource consent applications have a statutory processing timeframe of 20 working days, provided all the relevant information is attached and the application can be processed without limited or public notification.
If you wish to discuss matters regarding resource consents either as an applicant or as an affected person, please contact our Development Planner. This can be done by either booking an appointment, by email to general@taupo.govt.nz or by phone on (07) 376 0899.
To view the current version of the Taupo District Plan click here.
Changes are made to the Taupo District Plan for any number of reasons. These changes must follow a statutory process established by the Resource Management Act and all of which involve the involvement of the Community. For more information on the plan changes currently being worked on and for information on plan changes generally click here.
Environmental Services Division is located separately to the main Council Building and is instead located in the town centre at Gillespie Plaza, 22 Heuheu Street, Taupo.
Office hours for Environmental Services are Monday to Friday, 8.00 am to 4.30 pm.
Lodgement of Resource Consent Applications Electronically
Our Environmental Services Technical Support Team can now receive all new resource consent applications electronically. Applications can be provided by either email to SubmitResourceConsent@taupo.govt.nz or on a CD.
Lodgement fees can either be bought into Council with a copy of the covering letter or payments can be arranged via direct credit by simply requesting the RM number (TDC’s reference) in your email when lodging the application. The team will then be in contact with account information and the RM number reference to quote on the direct credit payment. Please note this needs to be received within two working days from the date of the email lodging the application or else your application will be returned.
When submitting your applications, please either scan the document as a whole, or if this is not possible due to size, scan the main resource consent assessment and the appendices/attachments separately. Send your application to: SubmitResourceConsent@taupo.govt.nz, remember this is for new applications only.
Please only send one application per email, there is no need to follow this up with a hard copy to Council’s main office.
Lodgement of Post Subdivision Applications using E – Certification in LandOnline
When lodging post subdivision applications (i.e. approval of Sections 223/224 of the RMA 1991), using Land Information New Zealand’s electronic certification we require the following:
- Covering letter advising what you’re applying for
- Lodgement fee
- Copy of the Certificate packages, with easements (if applicable) and survey plans
- The usual correspondence showing evidence consent conditions have been met
These applications may also be lodged electronically using the Submit Resource Consent email address SubmitResourceConsent@taupo.govt.nz
Notified Resource Consents
Fees and Charges
Timeframes under the RMA
The Resource Management Act sets maximum times for processing applications and notifying relevant parties of the decision.
Time limits vary depending on whether a hearing is required. For example, a decision on a non-notified controlled activity must be made within 20 working days of receiving all the required information.
A decision on a notified discretionary activity, which attracts public submissions, must be made within 70 days. Timeframes may be extended where further information is required or at the applicant's request.
Useful numbers
- B4UDig - 0800 248 344 www.beforeUdig.co.nz
- Contact Energy - Freephone 0800 80 9000
- Genesis Energy - Freephone 0800 436 374
- Telecom - Freephone 123
- Trust Power - Freephone 0800 87 87 87
- Unison - Freephone 0800 286 476
- Vector Gas - 0800 734 567