Plans and Consent:
Construction of homes in Aotearoa requires building consent from local authorities, and anything outside established planning guidelines will also require resource consent. These consents are managed by local authorities, and present a potentially challenging barrier to collective housing development. These challenges have been broken down in the headings below:
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Local councils are the most important level of government for any housing project. They control and regulate land use, building consent, utility access, and permitted activities. Both regional and territorial councils are part of these processes. Working with councils involves navigating bureaucratic structures which are often slow and costly to work within. Where possible, working within existing council plans reduces the amount of negotiation required. Many councils have little provision for collective housing development in their local plans, and where provisions exist, they will often treat the use as if its effects are different and more negative than other residential uses. Typically, this will require resource consents identifying a wide range of affected parties. In short, councils can make or break a project, and extend its timing. Early engagement is recommended.
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Perhaps the most important council regulations for multiunit, medium density and collective housing developments are City or District Plans. These documents control the permitted land uses, development envelopes, and activities allowable on given parcels of land. Most councils in Aotearoa have no specific provision for collective housing, meaning that there may be no areas of their plan which allow for it as of right. Therefore, resource consents for the use must be sought. Generally this is easier if the proposed site is zoned for residential or low density commercial, as these uses are more compatible with collective housing. Minuted pre-application meetings with councils are recommended so clarity around rules and processes are transparent and understood by all community members.
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Most councils have regulations that control how buildings impinge on their neighbours, including size, proximity to boundaries, slope of roof, height, direction of windows, parking spaces, and even the size of driveways and provisions around parking and access. Defining multiple plots of land to create a collective housing development may fall afoul of these regulations, and designers and communities should carefully consider this when applying for consent. Additionally, many plans restrict mixed uses, the foundation of community self sufficiency. Use of land for commercial purposes such as shared gardens for market, coworking or rental spaces, and community workshops may be considered commercial activities which impact on resource consents.
