September 19th, 2024
In an initiative to upgrade its building consent system, New Zealand's government has called upon the public to provide their feedback on potential improvements, announced the Minister for Building and Construction, Dr Megan Woods.
The move is set to help increase the system's efficiency and lower unnecessary delays, while contributing to affordable housing.
“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,” said Dr Woods. "It's really important that those in the sector and the wider public feedback on what's proposed."
The proposed improvements are centred around optimising building consent services, and eliminating barriers that obstruct the use of alternative products.
This call for public consultation is a significant development in the Government’s response to the Commerce Commission’s Market Study Into Residential Building Supplies. The potential reforms addressed in the consultation paper align with several recommendations presented in the Commission’s final report.
Dr Woods highlighted the importance of this initiative saying, "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.”
The public consultation opened on 8 June and will be accessible for eight weeks, with the deadline for submissions being 5pm on 3 August 2023.
The Building Consent System Review Options Paper, which details a wide range of high-level options and initiatives, can be read on the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s website. These options encompass various areas, including promoting competition in the building regulatory system, strengthening roles and responsibilities, and improving the delivery of building consent services.
The paper encourages feedback on improving consistency of decision-making across councils, supporting better delivery of building consent services, and relieving capability and capacity constraints. It seeks to address barriers to voluntary amalgamation, provide greater national direction, and build greater collective capability across the country.
The public's active participation in this feedback process can be a significant factor in shaping the future of New Zealand's building consent system, making it more efficient and robust.