KEY POINTS:
The consent process will be sped up for home owners who need to rebuild following last week's tornadoes in Taranaki.
Consent manager Ralph Broad at New Plymouth District Council said people carrying out repair work will be able to apply for a Certificate of Acceptance and get the paper work completed later.
"If you're homeless, you can't wait around for 20 working days," Mr Broad said.
He said replacing parts of a home exactly as it was does not require a consent but some older homes will need to install insulation and new bracing techniques, following changes to the Building Code.
"What we've said to people who are affected is you get on and do your work," Mr Broad said.
He said houses that were in the path of the tornado but were not destroyed may need to be inspected more closely, to make sure there hasn't been structural damage, he said.
Mr Broad said people who take advantage of the Certificate of Acceptance and try and do a few add-ons without consent, will likely be caught out.
"We're keeping a watchful eye."
He said the council has a building record and people will be caught out when they come to sell their home if prospective buyers get a LIM report.
