As Kiwis, DIY is in our DNA. New rules in place from August 2020, onwards will make it even easier for people to tap into this.

The new rules state that low risk building projects like sleepouts, carports and sheds will no longer need council approval before going ahead. 

The changes will save Kiwis a lot of time and money. Single-storey detached buildings up to 30 square metres will no longer need council consent to be built. 

This isn't just good news for homeowners, but also for builders who may be looking to pick up some smaller projects, especially in the financial wake of Covid-19. There will no longer be months of waiting for approval, projects will be able to get started straight away. 

As well as for smaller personal projects, the government is making changes to the Resource Management Act for larger ‘shovel ready’ projects, in order to get the country's economy going again.

The new act, due to be passed this month, will mean public and councils will no longer have input into whether projects can proceed or not and instead this power will be handed over to small panels of experts, chaired by an environment court judge.

The sorts of projects that would benefit from quicker consenting included roading, walking and cycling, rail, housing, sediment removal, new wetland construction, flood management works, and projects to prevent landfill erosion.