New Partnership smooths building consent process
Published on 03 July 2026
Building a home, starting a renovation, or investing in a new project should be an exciting step forward—not slowed by avoidable delays. A new partnership between Waitaki District Council (WDC) and Central Otago District Council (CODC) will help keep building consent services moving, giving applicants greater certainty, more reliable timeframes, and a smoother experience from application to decision.
CODC, like many councils across New Zealand, is facing ongoing challenges in recruiting experienced, qualified Building Control Officers. While recruitment and team development continue, the partnership gives CODC access to additional specialist support from WDC when demand is high, helping reduce pressure on the service and support consent processing within statutory timeframes.
WDC Director Natural and Built Environment Roger Cook said the partnership was a strong example of councils working together to share expertise, strengthen services, and deliver better outcomes for their communities.
“We’ve refined our consenting processes to be among the fastest in New Zealand, with an average turnaround of 7.37 days, while maintaining the quality and rigour of decision-making,” Mr Cook said.
The arrangement is designed to be efficient, secure, and straightforward. Because both councils use the Objective Build platform, authorised WDC officers can securely access and process Central Otago building consent applications. All work remains subject to CODC’s quality assurance systems, policies, and legislative requirements, with CODC retaining responsibility for statutory decisions.
For the community, the benefit is practical and immediate: better continuity of service, stronger support for local development, and more confidence for people planning building projects. Sharing skilled resources also helps councils respond to changing workloads, strengthen organisational resilience, and deliver better value for ratepayers without compromising the quality of regulatory services.
The collaborative model also reflects the direction of proposed Building Control reforms, which seek to strengthen capability, improve consistency, and encourage greater collaboration between Building Consent Authorities. It demonstrates how neighbouring councils can work together to build a more resilient regulatory system that supports certainty, continuity, and confidence in essential council services.
CODC will continue to invest in reliable, customer-focused regulatory services for the Central Otago community. This partnership strengthens regional relationships,
supports the timely delivery of building projects, and complements CODC’s ongoing commitment to recruiting and developing qualified Building Control Officers for the district’s long-term needs.
ENDS
media@waitaki.govt.nz