2009 Q4 Building Industry Confidence Survey Results
eboss, the online technical library for the New Zealand building industry, has conducted its quarterly survey of building industry professionals to assess confidence levels amongst the architects, architectural designers, builders, engineers, interior designers, specifiers and suppliers that comprise the New Zealand building industry. More than 175 building industry professionals representing every region of New Zealand responded to the survey.

10. Centralisation of consents and the Supercity: No faster, but hopefully more consistent.

The picture for consistency of interpretation of what is required for consents is rosier than the outlook for processing speed, with two thirds of the industry (66.9%) believing there will be improved consistency post-centralisation.

One Wairarapa builder who does not believe consistency will be improved through centralised processing says “there are inconsistencies now in small teams of processors, so it will be worse in bigger teams.”

However, Gareth Kiernan believes it is reasonable to expect consistency to improve. “There is scope for improvement with consistency, and it makes sense that with a more centralised team doing the processing, you will get a more consistent interpretation and reduce the number of times you need to go back with plans,” says Gareth.

Derek Baxter is hopeful that centralisation will improve consistency, which he says is a major issue for the industry. “This is a common source of complaint from builders. In some cases they cross the road to a different council boundary and get a different set of rules. When you consider there will be about15,000 consents issued this year and there are 73 accredited building consent authorities interpreting the rules – it’s crazy!”

Baxter adds, “since the announcement of centralisation of consents being essentially forced on the Supercity, we’re noticing other regions getting together off their own bat."

"Five Councils in the Bay of Plenty have met to discuss it, as well as Southland District, Invercargill City and Gore. Centralising is an area being looked at as part of the Building Act review and it may ultimately be the case that central government imposes it as part of the Building Act Review, along with allowing greater flexibility in the types of projects that don’t require consents.”

Download the full Q4 Building Industry Confidence Report here.