Here's the latest information from the Dunedin City Council Building Services team.

Customer information about working with building consents

The safety and wellbeing of Dunedin City Council (DCC) staff, customers and the community is paramount. With New Zealand on Alert Level 4 lockdown, our customer service centre in the Civic Centre Plaza is closed and building services staff, where possible, are performing their duties remotely.

We appreciate the lockdown will have an impact on the building sector so want to outline what these changes will mean to you.

DCC still needs to support essential construction services, as identified by the Government and we have been working hard to ensure this is achieved. For advice on essential services see www.covid19.govt.nz

For information on what this means for building and construction see www.building.govt.nz/covid-19 

Customers can still access information relating to building consents by:

• visiting our website: www.dunedin.govt.nz/services/building-services
• emailing building@dcc.govt.nz
• calling us on 03 477 4000

Frequently asked questions will be available on our website soon.

Services during level 4 lockdown

We can provide these building related services (limitations are noted where applicable):

• Process electronic building consent and project information memorandum (PIM) applications lodged online. You may experience delays while staff transition to working remotely and if the application requires DCC Planning input.
• Issue building consents and PIMs once payment has been received (lodged online before and during shutdown).
• Accept payment by internet banking.
• Email further information requests.
• Email consent monitoring letters.
• Site inspections for essential construction as outlined at www.building.govt.nz/covid-19
• Process extension of time requests to begin/complete work: apply at www.dunedin.govt.nz/extension-of-time
• Accept and process part 1 clause 2 building work exemptions: email building@dcc.govt.nz (approval will be sent electronically and followed up with a letter after the lockdown).
• Show the status of a building consent application via the online portal if you are a registered user of online services (includes hard copy applications that were lodged before the lockdown).
• Compile a compliance schedule. A hard copy and invoice will be sent at end of the lockdown.
• Receive applications to amend a compliance schedule (Form 11). You can send this to BWOF.Contact@dcc.govt.nz
• Property search requests.

What we are unable to provide at this stage

• Process, grant and issue hard copy building consent and project information memorandum applications received before the lockdown.
• Issue code compliance certificates.

We are working hard to resume the above services and hope to have them running again soon.

What we will not be able to provide until after the lockdown is over:

• Accept or process hard copy building consent applications.
• Accept or process (and then issue) certificate of acceptance applications.
• Site inspections for anything other than essential services (as referred to above).

After the lockdown is over we will prioritise urgent building consent and code compliance certificate applications, particularly where there is hardship or you provide a good reason.

It is important to note the issuing of a code compliance certificate may be compromised if building work continues without the required inspections. 

Keep up to date by visiting www.dunedin.govt.nz/COVID-19