Evidence is anything that backs up your statement at the hearing.
It can be spoken, written or visual – you can use photographs and drawings as evidence. Evidence should focus on facts, not emotions, and be directly relevant to your submission.
You may decide to engage an expert, for example in planning, traffic or water, to prepare evidence for you.
If you intend to call expert evidence, the council may require you to provide this at least 5 working days before the hearing. In these situations, the council will usually make this evidence available for other parties to read.
Providing evidence before the hearing is useful, especially if the proposal is a complex resource consent, or if the experts disagree.
The table shows the deadlines for sending out evidence before a hearing.
Table 1: Pre-circulating evidence for a hearing
| Information | Sent to | Deadline before hearing |
|---|---|---|
| Council’s report |
Applicant
Any submitters |
15 working days |
| Applicant’s evidence (resource consent) | Council | 10 working days |
| Submitters’ expert evidence |
Council
Applicant |
5 working days |
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Before the hearing: providing evidence
February 2021
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