The "Reasonableness" of the Costs for a Consent

[Brent George]

One cannot help but feel for these Landowners....
Stuff 6-Aug-2018

Where is the pragmatic solution?
What happened to the National Party Project (when they were in office) to reduce Red-Tape?

How many projects have we (as survey consultants) been involved in where the bureaucratic costs start to outweigh the "practicalness" of the project?  Some of moy recollections:

• A simple rural private right-of-way that will incur $25k+ of consultancy and Council fees just to get to the start line (in the old-days a perfectly acceptable RoW would be constructed in a jiff by a competent local contractor without all the reports and tests and needless engineering plans...)
• Urban vehicle crossing upgrades for Cross Lease conversions where the existing crossing is existing-use and fit-for-purpose, if a little tired as it is near the end of life.
  
• Etc (probably)

[Pat Sole]

Its certainly the case here and I'm sure in many other areas - the costs of consent work are escalating hugely. I have over the last 10 years done around a half dozen subdivisions on a rural piece of land outside Hawera. This (along with resubdivision by others) has now resulted in around 20-30 houses built on residential/lifesyle blocks in this area. No iwi or Heritage NZ consultation was required. With a new District Plan which identifies a pa site on adjoining land (which I am now subdividing), I have just clocked over around $15,000 in obtaining an archaelogical report, iwi consultation etc. Interesting, whilst the position of the pa site can be identified to the trained eye, there is nothing visible on-site and it is well away from the subdivision on the balance farm allotment. However, the archaeologist believes there was a large Maori village next door on the land we have already heavily developed with no need to consult. If Government and Local Authorities and other Authorities are real about provision of affordable housing, planning requirements certainly need streamlining and review.

[Brent George]

Ratepayer fights council consultant's $197 charge for 'forwarding an email'
Stuff - National: 18-July-2023

After a challenge from an irate Rodney ratepayer, Auckland Council has admitted some costs charged by its consultants were “not entirely” reasonable.

Charges included $197 – the rate for one hour – for forwarding a message.