Paul Lochore: Inept consents process has city on go-slow

Why is it only the Government that gets the chance to override the Unitary Plan? Photo / Greg Bowker

COMMENT: I applaud the Government's plan to override Auckland Council by establishing a new urban development authority that will enable it to speed up KiwiBuild and Housing NZ's developments in Auckland. It doesn't take an Einstein to realise speed is of the essence in addressing the serious housing crisis in our city, particularly for those who have been shut out of the property market and who struggle to afford rental accommodation.

The Government's intention to greatly reduce the planning and consenting process sounds like a great idea. However, I believe residents should also benefit to the same extent from cutting the council out of the consenting process. This would enable them to obtain their own consents faster from independent engineering and town-planning experts.

If the Government has found the council so inept in the resource management, building and consents area, why can't the powers of this new urban development authority benefit everyone? Why isn't the council's building consent division sacked? Why is it only the Government that gets the chance to override the Unitary Plan?

When is enough enough? I was heartened to see recently that I'm not alone in thinking the Auckland Council's performance in its resource consent processes is not good enough. In his annual audit report for the 2017-18 year, Deputy Auditor-General Greg Schollum has been strongly critical of Auckland Council's slowness and inefficiency with its consenting process.

According to the council's own website: "Mr Schollum identified issues with processing times and errors in the recording of time to process consents." This is a big slap on the wrist for Mayor Phil Goff and his inept consenting division. Come on guys, rediscover best practice.

Mr Schollum found only 52 per cent of building consents were issued within the 20-day statutory deadline. This is appalling, but in my experience with real estate on the North Shore that figure is closer to 90 per cent of building consents being delayed by council requests for additional information from the consent applicant, just as the 20-day statutory deadline is about to expire. It's not unusual for the council to issue further letters requesting additional information at the end of each 20-day deadline. This slows down the process by a further 100-150 days. The cost to the applicant of each letter from the council is $169.

I've experienced plenty of frustrating delays in the council's consent process and heard similar stories from disgruntled family members, friends and associates. Dealing with the council's consenting division takes its toll emotionally and financially on everyone who ends up caught in its consenting spider web.

While there are some very good staff in council's consent division, many need reminding that their role is to assist ratepayers by providing a timely and efficient service and not to delay, thwart and frustrate them with every interaction.

Rodney Hide's brainchild of amalgamation for Auckland has failed miserably. It may have started with good intentions - to reduce rates, make planning more efficient and regionwide and offer better services. But the costs of resource consents have tripled - and we all know what's happened regarding rate rises. An annual upward trajectory.

Bring back the Auckland Regional Council with its dedicated focus on the environment. Throttle back on the power ceded to the CCOs. Council controlled? Seriously? Just look at the Ports of Auckland fiasco.

Do we need to rethink amalgamation? But first let's strip the Auckland Council of its power to issue building consents and privatise the job.

• Paul Lochore is managing director of Lochore's Real Estate in Birkenhead.