Where to get advice about RMA applications and submissions

There are a range of professional experts that can give you advice and information on specific or technical topics.

These include:

• noise engineer
• engineer - structures, earthworks, etc
• ecologist
• hydrologist
• economist
• social scientist
• landscape architect
• surveyor
• traffic engineer
• archaeologist/ heritage expert
• cultural impact assessor.

You can engage a resource management planning professional or planning consultant to help you identify issues and effects that need to be considered when putting together an application for resource consent or submission on an application or regional or district planning document.

Resource management professionals or planning consultants can also carry out an assessment of the environmental effects of a proposal at a broad level and are often used to bring expert advice from a number of professional experts together in an application or a submission.

You may want to engage a resource management lawyer to help you with the legal aspects of the submission or application process.

The amount of information you need to include in your application or submission will depend on how significant the environmental effects of the proposal will be. Depending on the scale of the effects of the activity, you may wish to get help from an expert to prepare your application or submission.

Applications for larger and more complex proposals are likely to require, and benefit from, the input of professional advisers. Involving them early can save you time and cost later in the process.

• New Zealand Planning Institutes Online Consultants Directory website
  Lists planners, architects, landscape designers, surveyors, engineers, lawyers and other professionals involved in planning, design and the environment

• New Zealand greenpages website
  Lists consultants in the infrastructure, water and environmental sector.

• The NZ Law Society website
  Provides advice on how to contact a lawyer in your area.

• Community Law website 
  Check your local law centre to see if they provide RMA services.

• New Zealand Institute of Surveyors website
  Lists registered professional surveyors.

• New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects website
  Lists registered landscape architects.

• Association of Consulting Engineers New Zealand website
  Lists chartered professional engineers and provides links to consultancies.

• New Zealand Archaeological Association website
  Lists archaeologists.

• Resource Management Law Association website
  Lists members who can provide resource management advise and their areas of expertise.