Your rights

Before you give your approval

Before you give your written approval on an application make sure you have seen and understand all parts of the application and any plans or drawings involved.

If you want changes made to the application before you give your written approval you can ask the applicant to amend their application before you sign. Alternatively, you may want to enter into a side agreement or private arrangement with the applicant to satisfy your concerns about the proposal. Greater Wellington does not get involved in side agreements – it is a private matter between you and the applicant.

Do not sign anything you are not happy with.

If you approve

If you are happy for the application to proceed fill out and sign a Greater Wellington written approval of an affected person form or sign the applicant’s resource consent application form. Alternatively, you can write a letter giving your approval to an application. However, in this letter you must acknowledge and accept that Greater Wellington will not assess the effect on you or your property when the application is assessed. You can read more about this process on the MfE website here.

If you and all other affected persons give their written approval then the application will be non-notified. Giving your written approval doesn’t mean that Greater Wellington will necessarily approve the application - but it does mean that we can’t consider the adverse effects on you when deciding whether to grant or decline the application.

You can change your mind and formally withdraw your approval in writing to Greater Wellington at any time before the decision on the application is made.

If you do not approve

If you, or any other affected person, do not give their written approval, Greater Wellington will serve notice of the application on all affected persons (limited notified). This means that you can make a submission on the application. If you, the applicant or any other submitter wants to be heard, there will be a public hearing to decide the application.

More information

See Your Rights as an ‘Affected Person’- an everyday guide to the Resource Management Act series available from the Ministry for the Environment.