4. How much will my consent cost?

The resource consent application process is 100 per cent user-pays. When you apply for a resource consent you will need to pay an initial fee to cover processing costs. Additional expenses may be incurred depending on the scale and complexity of the resource consent application proposal. This means you pay for the time spent on your application by staff, plus expenses, which may include distance travelled, scientific reports and/or consultants. 

Current fees and charges

Download the current fees and charges policy (PDF File 969.08K)

How to pay

Pay for your consent application online 

To pay for your consent application through internet banking or by credit or debit card, click on the pay now button below and you will be taken to Windcave (a secure third-party payment platform). Please ensure you have submitted your resource consent application before you pay for it through this platform.

Pay for your consent application

  • This platform should only be used for resource consent application fixed fees or initial fixed fees (deposits).
  • This is our preferred payment method as it allows us to match your payment to your application faster, potentially speeding up the consent process. 
  • Your payment information is collected by Windcave, which is our payment provider.  Windcave is subject to the PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards) and the Privacy Act 2020.  Environment Canterbury does not collect or have access to your payment information, including credit/debit card details.
  • If using a credit or debit card, Visa or Mastercard payments are accepted. Payments cannot be made using American Express.
  • No additional card fees will be charged.
  • If you need help making your payment online, please contact our Customer Services team on 0800 324 636 . 

 

Fees and charges for consent applications

We recover the costs of carrying out Resource Management Act functions from resource consent applicants and consent holders. Below is a summary of fees for resource consent applications or compliance monitoring.

Fixed application fees (all fees include GST)

Fixed fees cover the total cost of the application or compliance monitoring activity. 

Fee typeFixed fee (inclusive of GST)
Certificate of existing use$650.00
Partial surrender of a resource consent$309.50
Partial transfer of a water permit or discharge permit under section 136(2)(a) or section 137(2)$459.50
Full Transfer of Resource Consent (notice of transfer)$105.00
Install a bore/gallery$583.00

Initial fixed application fees (all fees include GST)

Initial fixed fees include a fixed standard charge that covers processing costs. The fees are based on an estimate of an average non-notified consent application. They may be subject to additional charges if processing of the application exceeds the initial fixed fee. This is so we can recover the actual and reasonable costs incurred. 

Activity typeInitial fixed fee (inclusive of GST)
Discharge on-site domestic wastewater$2,600.00
Change of conditions:
of a water permit$3,300.00
of any other resource consent$1,900.00
Certificate of compliance $1,300.00
Notice of a deemed permitted activity$500.00
Place a swing mooring$700.00
Consent for any other activity (not specified in this table or under risk based initial fixed-fees)$3,500.00

Risk-based initial fixed fees (all fees include GST)

If your activity is for one of the consent types listed below, the initial fixed fee is based on the scale and complexity of the activity, established from the risk factors listed. Additional charges may be incurred if processing of the application exceeds the initial fixed fee.

Discharge

This table shows all fees for discharge of dairy effluent, discharge to stormwater to land or into surface water and discharge to air.

Consent type High risk
initial fixed fee
Medium risk
initial fixed fee
Low risk
initial fixed fee
Dairy effluent >1001 cows $4,700 501-1000 cows $3,500 <500 cows $2,400
Discharge of stormwater to land >4 ha $9,400 0.5 - 4 ha $6,000 <0.5 ha $2,500
Discharge of stormwater into surface water >2 ha, anything on hill slopes $7,000 0.5 - 2 ha $4,800 <0.5 ha $2,700

Discharge to air

Risk factors:

  • Discharge of odour
  • Discharge of hazardous contaminant
  • Sensitive activity less than 250m away as defined in Canterbury Air Regional Plan
  • Within gazetted airshed as defined in National Environment Standards for Air Quality 2020
  • Within Clean Air Zone as defined in Canterbury Air Regional Plan
Three or more Risk factors $7,200 Two or more Risk factors $5,000 Up to one Risk factor $2,700

Water

This table shows all fees for water take, and/or use (including transfers of water permits).

Consent type High risk initial fixed fee Medium risk initial fixed fee Low risk initial fixed fee

Water take, and/or use (including transfers of water permits under s136(2)(b))

> 100 l/sec and >1,500,000 m3/year $6,000 10-100 l/sec and 150,000-1,500,000 m3/year $4,400 <10 l/sec and <150,000 m3/year $2,700

Land use

This table shows all fees for excavating gravel from the bed of a lake or river, earthworks or farming land use.

Consent type High risk
initial fixed fee
Medium risk
initial fixed fee
Low risk
initial fixed fee
Excavate gravel from the bed of a lake or river >100,000 m3/year $4,700 20,000-100,000 m3/year $3,600 <20,000 m3/year $2,500

Earthworks

Risk factors:

  • Contaminated land
  • Multiple lot residential
  • Less than one-metre separation to groundwater from excavation depth
  • Coastal confined aquifer area
  • Less than five metres from a surface water body
  • Industrial development
Three Risk factors $6,500 Two Risk factors $4,200 Up to one Risk factor $3,200

Farming land use

Risk factors:

  • Multiple farms on application
  • Regionwide rule application that does not use the Farm Portal to calculate Good Management Practice (GMP) Baseline Loss Rates and GMP Loss Rates
  • Sub regional rule that requires application of GMP guidelines for Selwyn and Hinds
  • Within Community Drinking Water Protection Zone
  • Application proposes Nutrient Discharge Allowance or Lawful Exceedance to operate above Nitrogen Baseline
  • OverseerFM analysis with greater than 10 blocks modelled
Three Risk factors $4,500 Two Risk factors $3,500 Up to one Risk factor $2,500

Note: rates have been calculated using valuation information available at the time this report was prepared.