Planning Plus

At Planning Plus our goal is to provide comprehensive, professional planning advice that is timely and cost effective.

Our common-sense approach and extensive skills and experience mean we can provide real solutions to get your project completed.

In particular, the Planning Plus promises to our clients are:

• Our consultants and staff are all experienced and highly regarded within the industry.
• We provide comprehensive planning solutions.
• We are reliable, honest and efficient.
• We apply a high quality focus to all aspects of work.
• We provide excellent customer service in all areas of the business.

Our experienced and friendly team can assist you with all aspects of planning. We have extensive experience with all types of resource consents, including landuse, subdivision, coastal and other regional consents, and policy planning. We aim to use our skills and knowledge to make the process as straight forward for you as possible.

It can at first seem daunting when you decide you want to do something on your property.

Many activities often require resource consent – earthworks, starting a business, building a house, constructing a jetty or something larger. It may seem like there are never ending rules, requirements, differing opinions and people who need to be consulted.

Planning Plus can help!

We can have as little or as much involvement as you like.

With our network of trusted contacts we can manage the entire resource consent process for you, or we can simply provide an assessment of environmental effects. We have significant experience working with and for city, district and regional Councils, so we are very familiar with their processes, requirements and relevant legislation.

Some of the projects our consultants have been involved in include:

• Mixed use commercial facilities
• Earthworks, tree removal and subdivision for large scale residential development
• Creation of boat harbour (Eastern Boat Harbour on Whangaparaoa Peninsula)
• Apartment developments
• Projects including discharge of contaminants, works in watercourses, earthworks in Sediment Control Areas
• Various outline plan of works applications
• Establishing existing use rights
• Certificates of Compliance (for permitted activities)
• Small scale applications such as yard infringement, new dwellings, earthworks, tree removal etc.

We aim to make the process run smoothly, on time and on budget for you. We will keep in close contact with you to make sure you are always aware of what is happening and what progress is being made.

So you think you might like to subdivide your property. Do you have enough land, a suitable building area, vegetation or watercourses that require protection, cultural features or neighbors that need consideration?

There are a number of issues that you will need to consider, and often a large amount of detailed information that the Council will require. We can help with your subdivision application be it rural, urban, rural-residential, coastal, commercial or industrial. We have experience in these areas and aim to make the process run smoothly, on time and on budget for you. As with resource consents, we can have as much or as little involvement as you like. We have a number of professional contacts, and can utilise these to manage the entire subdivision application process for you. We have significant experience working with and for city, district and regional Councils, we are familiar with their processes, requirements and relevant legislation.

We will keep in close contact with you to make sure you are always aware of what ís happening and what progress has been made.

Developing land can be a substantial investment decision, and you want to make sure you're making a sound decision based on all the facts.

Our feasibility study or development potential reports will allow you to make informed decisions about the planning related costs and time involved in getting your project off the ground, and how likely it is to succeed. We have extensive experience and exercise total integrity in providing recommendations to our clients so that you can be sure of getting a realistic assessment of your project before you start.

At Planning Plus we understand the importance of planning for the future, and doing this in an integrated manner.

Through diverse and extensive experience and training we are able to see the big picture and identify how we can get there through a holistic approach. We also recognise that values differ, and formulating policy always requires an open minded approach. Through thorough research, evaluation and consultation we aim to develop policy frameworks that work in practise, and result in the outcomes desired.

We have the expertise and experience to draft and assess plan changes, variations and section 32 RMA analysis.

We understand hearings are an often stressful event for all concerned.

These are formal occasions generally with specific etiquette, procedures and requirements. Often when an application has escalated to this stage it is advisable to have professional representation.

We are familiar with the hearings process, can present evidence on your behalf in the format expected by the relevant Committee, and cover the issues that are crucial to the application. We can also put these in the context of legal requirements, such as those found in the Resource Management Act, and help focus the discussion on matters the Committee can consider. We have vast experience in relation to hearings, and can draw on this to ensure your hearing experience is positive.

Construction, development and establishing new businesses are a reality wherever you may live.

By active involvement in the policy planning and resource consent application processes, submitters can play an important role in ensuring that all relevant issues and standards are considered. This results in appropriate and sustainable development for all parties involved.

At Planning Plus we can assist in making submissions to both statutory planning documents and individual resource consent applications, and are able to present at Council hearings on your behalf.

Thinking of buying a property? Want to know what you can and can't do on it, or maybe what your neighbours can do?

Maybe you want to set up a business and want to know what to look for in a property. We can assist with general planning advice for example:

• Zoning rules and requirements,
• General District Plan rules such as noise, lighting, home business, earthworks, tree removal etc,
• Deciphering LIM and other Council reports,
• Assistance when you are the subject of Council enforcement action (including mediation),
• Establishing existing use rights.

Are you buying a property and in the due diligence process? It's important to thoroughly do your homework and not make assumptions when you're talking about a big investment. We can assist with planning advice regarding:

• Development potential of the land and buildings,
• Existing uses and ensuring these are legally established,
• Resource consents required to change the use of the land, including subdivision,
• Planning restrictions on Certificates of Title and what these mean,
• Understanding the consent related history of a site.

Make sure you are making a wise investment.

Mediation can help clarify issues, resolve conflicts and reach agreement without needing to go to court.

We have attended a number of Environment Court mediations and have found that parties often develop and agree upon creative, constructive, achievable, workable and mutually acceptable solutions. And even if mediation doesn't result in agreement, the process of isolating issues and agreeing undisputed facts can be helpful if an appeal has to be heard by the Environment Court.

Planning Plus can help ensure your issues are clearly communicated, and that the best outcome for you is achieved.

Why use a planner? How can Planning Plus help me?

At Planning Plus we listen and build relationships with everyone we work with. We are a boutique consultancy – you will know our team and we will know yours. You will not be moved from person to person; we treat you as an individual not a number. We will communicate with you throughout the process so you know what is happening, who is doing what and when.

We are passionate about planning; we choose to be planners because we have enthusiasm for the profession and what can be achieved. We believe in cutting through red tape to get a great outcome, thinking outside the box and working collaboratively.

Our team is highly experienced, knows Council and RMA processes in depth and will provide a personal, professional service at a highly competitive rate. We have a wide network of professional contacts who we have worked with before and trust to provide you with excellent service. We use these contacts to provide you with a seamless service from discussing ideas to implementing the resource consent. We can manage the entire process for you; our aim is to make the process easy and stress-free for you.

We are members of the New Zealand Planning Institute and Hannah is the Secretary of the Auckland Branch Committee. This is the national body representing professional planners in New Zealand. As part of our membership, continuing professional development is required along with compliance with a Code of Conduct. You can be assured that the Planning Plus team are up to date with current best planning practice, legislation changes and will always act in an honest and ethical manner. 

Resource Consents and the RMA

What is a resource consent?

A resource consent is permission to use a resource such as land in a way that contravenes rules in the relevant planning document. There are different categories of resource consents, set up in a hierarchy from controlled activities to non-complying activities. The different types of activities require different assessment.

How do I know if I need a resource consent?

Not all activities need resource consent. Some buildings and activities are “permitted” under the relevant district and regional plans and can be undertaken without a resource consent. You need a resource consent if you do not meet a rule in the district or regional plan applying to your land. You may also need a resource consent under high level documents such as a National Environmental Standard.

These documents are available online but can be difficult to navigate and even more difficult to find the rules that affect your development.

Our team has extensive planning experience and can assist you with identifying what aspects of your proposal require resource consent, and providing assessment of the environmental effects associated with those. We have a wide network of related professional contacts who have a proven track record. We can utilise these contacts to provide a seamless service to you where their input is needed. 

How much does it cost to get resource consent?

Councils generally charge for the actual cost of providing a service and disbursements. This means that fees vary depending on the type and complexity of the resource consent application. You can find the resource consent deposit fees on the Council websites, but our experience indicates this often does not cover the entire cost of processing the application.

What are ongoing consent requirements?

All resource consents come subject to conditions. The conditions vary for each resource consent, but are all legally required to be complied with. At Planning Plus we can assist you with meeting these conditions and can manage this process for you.

What is a submission?

A submission may be in relation to another resource consent application or a new plan/plan change. A submission is your opportunity to communicate with the Council and identify the aspects of the project that you agree with and/or have concerns with and the decision you would like the Council to make.

This is an important process and you need to make sure you get it right. Your submission should include the correct information, assessment and be made in the proper legal format. This is often a process that people seek professional advice with.

Who else is involved?

A resource consent can involve other specialists such as an engineer, traffic engineer, surveyor or ecologist. At Planning Plus we have extensive resource management experience and can identify the team of experts that will be needed for your specific proposal. We have a wide network of industry professionals who we know and trust to do an excellent job on your project. We can contact and manage these specialists on your behalf, and can manage the resource consent process for you from conception to obtaining consent and beyond. One of our aims is to make the process as stress-free and easy for you as possible; we work hard to achieve this on every project.

How we work

What is the first step in the planning process?

Get in contact! You can contact us via phone or hello@planningplus.co.nz for a no obligation discussion of your proposal. We will listen to what you want to achieve and provide you with preliminary advice. If you decide to proceed, we will meet and start a more detailed assessment.

How much will it cost?

Before we start working on your project we will send you a fee estimate. This sets out what your proposal is, what work we will do and what we estimate our fees will be. We will not start working until you confirm you agree with the fee estimate; this means we are all on the same page from the start. This open communication is something we pride ourselves on at Planning Plus; we endeavour to make sure you always know what is happening, when and what the costs are.