Government data shows significant increase in on-time processing.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has reported a 92% success rate in building consent applications being processed within the statutory timeframe. This is an improvement from 88% when reporting began earlier this year.
Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk attributes the change to increased accountability and transparency, as well as the Government's efforts to streamline the building consent system. The data was made public after Penk directed MBIE to publish quarterly reports on how quickly councils process building consents.
While 92% of applications were processed within the required 20 working days, many councils took significantly longer due to delays caused by requests for additional information. A recent report found that in Auckland and Tauranga, processing times increased to nearly 55 and 40 days, respectively, when these requests were included.
The issue has been attributed to designers submitting incomplete applications, but Minister Penk is working with his officials to address the problem and further reduce overall processing times. The Government's plan to improve building productivity remains ambitious, and the recent data suggests that increased scrutiny of councils' performance is having a positive impact on the sector.