Resource Management Act and Building Charges Policy
Review of Fees and Charges Policy
We regularly review the policy to ensure charges reflect the cost of service delivery. Any changes must be adopted by the Regional Council before implementation.
We are currently taking feedback on our 2026 Fees and Charges Policy review. If adopted, these changes will be introduced from 1 July 2026.
At a glance, the changes we are proposing are:
- Updating compliance monitoring charges and fixed fees in response to legislative changes and updated staff rates
- Increase in Port Charges (Harbour Dues)
- Adding a specific category for PC10 Lake Rotorua Nutrient Management Variation consent deposits
- Change to mileage charge out rate
- Applying a general increase to fixed charges with CPI, to address the increased costs of delivery.
Regional Council uses fees and charges to recover the costs of undertaking certain activities, such as functions associated with the Flood Protection and Drainage Bylaws, Navigational Safety and resource consents.
We do this to ensure we are adequately resourced to support these activities, and that at least a portion of the cost is met by those individuals and organisations responsible for benefitting from those activities (rather than the broader ratepayer).
This is directly provided for through the associated legislation (the Resource Management Act).
What is the Fees and Charges Policy?
The Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) is the primary legislation for environmental management, established to promote the sustainable management of natural and physical resources.
Regional councils are charged with the integrated management of the natural and physical resources of a whole region.
To carry out this work, we process resource consents, monitor consented and other authorised activities, and monitor the state of the region’s resources.
The costs associated with this work are set under section 36 of the RMA in the Council Charges Policy and we pass these costs along to applicants and consent holders.
The Fees and Charges Policy covers:
- Receiving and processing resource consent applications
- Monitoring and enforcing compliance with resource consents, National Environment Standards and Regional Plan Rules, under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA)
- Functions associated with the Flood Protection and Drainage Bylaws
- Functions associated with the Navigational Safety bylaw including Port charges (harbour dues)
- Any cost recoverable work that is performed under any other power or function of the Regional Council.
The Fees and Charges Policy outlines this in further detail, and also sets out what activities will incur costs and what these costs will be.
Got questions?
If you are applying for a resource consent, or currently have a resource consent, and have questions about how the fees and charges impact this, you can call 0800 884 883 or email info@boprc.govt.nz.