A new building consent management system introduced into Kaipara will make it easier for architects, developers, builders and homeowners to apply for, and keep track of their building consents.

Kaipara District Council now uses Objective Build, which gives people a window into the building consent process. Users can clearly see the status of applications, actions required, and manage their consents throughout their lifecycle.

Already in use in other parts of New Zealand, Kaipara is the first Northland council to introduce Objective Build. Whangarei is expected to follow some time next year, which will standardise building consent processes between the two districts.

Applicants will be able to view any consent applications they have made through Objective Build, with multiple councils using a single platform. Building and construction industry professionals will have one account to handle all applications, instead of the separate accounts they currently have with every council. The new system reuses standard information across applications, so users will be saved from having to re-enter the same information each time.

Mayor Craig Jepson says making development easier supports Council’s goal to grow the Kaipara economy.

“Anything we can do to make it easier and more straightforward for people looking to build in our district has my support,” says Mayor Jepson.

Building Services Manager Alistair Dunlop says Objective Build makes consenting easier for council staff too.

“We’re processing more than 700 building consents each year. The new system gives us a more consistent way to receive information. It’s more efficient and makes it faster to process applications,” says Alistair.

“Objective Build provides more transparency than our old system. Builders and architects have better oversight of their consent applications. Homeowners can also access the same information and track how their consent is progressing.”

You can find tutorial videos and more information about Objective Build at Kaipara.govt.nz/objective-build

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