Specialist team to assist council consenting

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson have reached agreement with Christchurch City Council for a team of technical experts from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to join the council’s consenting department and work with council officers to speed the flow of consent approvals.

“The team will have the authority to make changes as required,” Mr Brownlee says.

Mr Williamson says it’s clear council staff want to sort this issue as much as anyone, and they have been encouraged by offers to assist from other consenting bodies throughout the country.

“This will mean significant extra resource is available to the council and the MBIE team,” Mr Williamson says.

“In the middle of next week progress will be assessed to consider if greater resource or further intervention is required,” Mr Brownlee says.