Check if you meet the criteria
If you're building or extending your home, you may be able to apply for a "deemed permitted boundary activity" instead of a resource consent if:
- the only District Plan rules your project infringes are boundary rules – for example, the building recession plane – and no other District Plan rules are infringed
- none of the infringed boundaries are public boundaries – for example, a park or a road, and
- the neighbours who share the infringed boundary have given their written approval.
What are boundary rules?
Boundary rules are rules in the District Plan that relate to your property's boundaries. They include rules about:
- height in relation to boundary - the height of a structure, building or feature, relative to its distance from the boundary
- boundary setbacks – how far from the boundary you can build a structure
- uncovered decks and uncovered structures more than 1 metre in height above ground level built near boundaries
- fences and standalone walls near rear and side boundaries.
If your proposal infringes rules relating to building height, building coverage, outdoor living space, outlook space, windows to street, or landscaped area, you’ll need to go through the standard resource consent process.
Resource consents
Note: Different District Plan Zones have different rules and standards that relate to boundary activities. If you're not sure whether a rule is a boundary rule or not, you can contact a planner on 04 801 3590 or email planning@wcc.govt.nz