Exercising your consent

Your consent automatically expires if you don’t exercise it (operate the activity authorised by your resource consent) within 5 years of it being granted, unless it states otherwise in the conditions of your consent. This is called 'lapsing' of the consent. Once your consent has lapsed, you would have to apply for a whole new consent if you decide at a later date that you want to commence your activity.

If a consent is exercised within the lapse period, but then is not exercised for a continuous period of five years, Waikato Regional Council can cancel the consent by giving written notice to the consent holder. You are also still required to pay any applicable annual charges if you are not exercising your consent. This is because you have the right to start operating your activity at any time.

You can apply to Waikato Regional Council for an extension of your lapse period by writing to us with an explanation of the circumstances.  You must do this before the consent lapses.

Contact us or call 0800 800 401 if you need to know when your consent commenced or do not think that your activity will start within the 5 year period.