Resource Consent Applications
Getting consent shouldn't be the hardest part of your project.
Too often, resource consent is the first time that a small to medium development project hits its straps. Inconsistent advice, incomplete applications, unexpected requests for further information, and councils' rule interpretation can turn a straightforward proposal into a drawn-out process that costs time and money you hadn't budgeted for.
Derive takes the uncertainty out of consenting — so you can focus on the project, not the paperwork.
Services we provide under the RMA 1991
- Resource consents and compliance
- Property acquisition due diligence
- Management of RMA projects
- Compliance audits and reporting
- Mediation and dispute resolution
- Management plan preparation and auditing
What we handle
We prepare resource consent applications for residential subdivision, land development, and earthworks across Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, the Hutt Valley, Porirua, Kapiti Coast, and the Wairarapa.
Residential subdivision and development
We assess your proposal against the relevant district plan, identify the most efficient consent pathway, prepare the assessment of environmental effects, and manage council engagement through to receiving a decision. We have also advised on fast-track consent applications lodged in Te Awa Kairangi Hutt Valley under the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024.
Earthworks consents
We assess runoff and drainage effects, prepare erosion and sediment control plans, and work with your engineers and surveyors to produce an application that addresses the council's technical requirements upfront.
Commercial and community projects
We mostly work on residential projects but have also consented commercial developments and community facilities including churches. Where works have already been carried out without consent, we can prepare retrospective applications to resolve the compliance issue and protect your ability to use, sell, or refinance the property.
What we've delivered
That track record reflects not just technical competence but a genuine understanding of what councils are looking for and how to present proposals in a way that gives them confidence to say yes.
Working with Derive
Part of what we do best is understanding the full range of options available to a client under the RMA before recommending a particular pathway. We don't just tell you what consent you need — we work through what's possible, explain the costs, and give you a feasible pathway forward that fits your project and your timeline.
That sometimes means getting creative. We have door-knocked neighbours to obtain written approvals where that was the most practical way to limit notification. We have resolved unconsented works through retrospective applications. We find the pathway that works.
We work closely with your wider project team of architects, engineers, surveyors, and urban designers to make sure the consenting strategy is aligned with your design from the outset. Bringing us in early is almost always cheaper than bringing us in to fix problems later.
Have a site or a project you're working up?
Get in touch. A short call is often all it takes to understand where you stand and what your next step should be.