Auckland Council is addressing delays in processing Code Compliance Certificates (CCCs), particularly in the central and southern part of the Auckland region.
A dedicated team has been tasked to process the buildup of work, and wait times will be reduced to normal levels in the next five to six weeks.
Auckland Council seeks to maintain a 95 per cent CCC completion rate inside the statutory 20 days.
Reasons for the delays include:
- a high level of consenting activity due to an increase in housing construction
- the complexity of many applications
- a third-party service provider pulling out of the market (meaning the return in-house of a large number of consents).
Transition to online service causes delays
A new online application process, which is replacing the existing paper-based system, is also causing delays.
The council’s director of Regulatory Services, Penny Pirrit, says, “In the long term, the new digital processes will result in faster turnarounds for our customers. However, in the short term there are issues resulting from systems integration and the transfer of information, some of which has to be done manually. We are working quickly to resolve these.”
“We have a statutory obligation to ensure that all applications go through a rigorous process to avoid any liability issues which could be detrimental to the property owner in the long term. We are undertaking the work as fast as possible, but need to retain robust processes that manage risks to Auckland’s ratepayers."
Strong development market causing staffing issues
The council is also experiencing challenges recruiting and retaining staff due to the combination of a buoyant development market and a relative shortage of trained and skilled industry staff, who are in high demand. It is taking steps to remedy the current situation through a combination of additional staffing resources, along with identifying and prioritising tasks that will improve CCC processing times.
“We are also reviewing the caseload, and giving priority to our Qualified Partners who are able to process applications in large focus on ‘at-scale’ developments and are generally returning quality CCC applications; on digital applications; and on those that have been in the system the longest,” says Ms Pirrit.
What is a Code Compliance Certificate (CCC)?
A CCC marks the final stage in the building consent process and is a formal statement issued under the Building Act, which confirms building work complies with that building consent.
The council has also taken a further step to alert those awaiting CCC issuance when their application receives technical sign off. This gives applicants a ‘heads up’ that their CCC has been approved for issue.
“While the invoice may take a further few days to arrive and the CCC will be issued once payment is received, we hope this alert process will assist people to know the status of their certification,” says Ms Pirrit.
More information about the building consent process, including guidance on the application and certification process and how to contact the consenting team, can be found on the council’s website.
