Further submissions on RMA planning proposals

Further submissions are provided for in the plan-making process. There is no further submissions process in resource consent or notice of requirement processes.

Further submissions address or respond to specific matters that were raised by submitters in their submissions (as opposed to matters in the proposal itself).

Not everyone is eligible to make a further submission. You can only make a further submission if:

• your interest in the proposal is more than the interest of the general public, or
• you are representing a relevant aspect of the public interest.

For example, if there are submissions on proposed rural subdivision rules but you do not have any particular interest in rural land, you may not be able to make a further submission. If, on the other hand, someone has proposed a change to the zoning next to your property, you clearly have more of an interest than the general public, and will be able to make a further submission.

A further submission must oppose or support an original submission. Further submissions must be received no later than 10 working days after the summary of decisions requested by submitters on a planning proposal was released.

If you are unsure whether you can make a further submission, talk to the council staff first as they may be able to help. If you are still unsure, or have questions about the advice from council staff, you need to talk to a lawyer or planning consultant.

• Council officers create a report called a summary of decisions by submitters on a planning proposal. This describes all the submissions and the reasons for them. After the closing date for submissions, the council will tell you where on their website you can view the submissions and the summary.
• Contact your council if you want to see a copy of the whole submission you have an interest in. There is usually a small charge for copying if you want a physical version. The council may have made all of the submissions available on their website.
• Get a further submission form from your council or council website. This requires the same information as the original submission form, and it also asks for some new details.
• Sign and date your further submission and send it straight back to the council. These can be emailed or sent directly to your council.
• Send a copy of the further submission to the person who made the original submission, within five working days of lodging it with the council.