Council Asked for More Information on Your Site Plan? Here’s Exactly What They Want

If a New Zealand council has asked for more information about your site plan, your application has not necessarily been rejected.

It usually means the council cannot yet complete its assessment because part of the drawing is missing, unclear, inconsistent, or unsupported.

The type of request depends on your application. For a resource consent, the council may issue a Section 92 Request for Further Information under the Resource Management Act 1991. For a building consent, the building consent authority may issue its own Request for Further Information.

In either case, the assessment may be paused while the council waits for a complete and satisfactory response.

Quick Answer: What Is the Council Actually Asking For?

The council is asking for enough clear information to understand the proposed work and complete its assessment.

For a site plan, the request may involve:

• Property boundaries and lot dimensions
• Accurate setback measurements
• The dimensions and location of the proposed work
• A clear distinction between existing and proposed structures
• Distances between buildings
• Driveways, parking, accessways, and vehicle crossings
• Easements and rights-of-way
• Contours, levels, drainage, or stormwater information
• Consistency between the site plan and the other drawings

The council should be able to identify the proposed work, read its dimensions, and understand its relationship to the property without estimating from the drawing.

The request is not always limited to the site plan. Depending on the project, the council may also require architectural details, engineering calculations, drainage designs, product information, survey data, or a planning assessment.

Is It a Building Consent RFI or a Section 92 Request?

Building consent and resource consent are separate approval processes, so it is important to read the council’s letter carefully.

Building Consent Request for Further Information

A building consent authority may request more information when it cannot yet determine whether the proposed building work complies with the New Zealand Building Code.

The request may relate to:

• Incomplete plans or specifications
• Missing dimensions
• Structural information
• Drainage or weatherproofing details
• Fire, accessibility, or durability requirements
• Information that conflicts across different drawings

The building-consent processing clock may be stopped while the council waits for the requested information. It generally resumes once the requested information has been received and is sufficient for the assessment to continue.

Section 92 Resource Consent Request

Section 92 of the Resource Management Act allows a consent authority to request further information needed to assess a resource consent application.

This may relate to:

• District Plan compliance
• Boundary infringements
• Building coverage or height controls
• Effects on neighbouring properties
• Traffic, parking, and vehicle access
• Earthworks, flooding, or stormwater
• Natural hazards or environmental effects
• An Assessment of Environmental Effects

Resource-consent timeframes are governed by separate RMA rules. Depending on when and how the further-information request is made, an excluded period may apply while the council waits for the response.

Do not assume every council information request is a Section 92 request. Check whether your application is for building consent, resource consent, or both.

What a Request for More Information Really Means

An RFI does not automatically mean the proposed project cannot be approved.

It means the council does not yet have enough information to reach a decision.

Common reasons include:

• The proposed work cannot be located accurately
• Boundary setbacks cannot be verified
• The site plan conflicts with another drawing
• Existing and proposed work are not clearly distinguished
• Important drainage, access, or level information is missing
• The council needs a specialist report
• The submitted information does not address an applicable rule

The council is effectively saying:

We cannot complete the assessment using the information currently provided. Please clarify or supply the listed items.

That is different from a formal decision to refuse or decline the application.

The Important Detail: Processing Time May Be Paused

When a valid information request is issued, the statutory processing timeframe may stop or exclude the period during which the council is waiting for your response.

This means:

• The council may stop counting processing days
• The application may remain on hold while information is outstanding
• The quality and speed of your response can affect the overall timeline
• An incomplete response may lead to further questions

It does not mean the council has unlimited time once a complete response is received. However, time spent preparing the response can add significantly to the real-world project timeline.

The sooner every requested item is addressed properly, the sooner the assessment can continue.

How Councils Review a Site Plan

A site plan is reviewed as part of the wider application rather than as an isolated image.

Council officers may check:

1. Property identification: Is the correct property and legal site shown?
2. Boundary information: Are the relevant boundaries and dimensions clear?
3. Structure placement: Can the proposed work be located accurately?
4. Setbacks: Are distances to relevant boundaries labelled?
5. Existing and proposed work: Is the distinction obvious?
6. Access and parking: Are driveways, vehicle crossings, and parking shown?
7. Site constraints: Are easements, slopes, drainage, or hazards relevant?
8. Drawing consistency: Does the site plan match the floor plans and elevations?
9. Readability: Can the required information be found without guesswork?

A problem at any of these stages may lead to a request for clarification.

You can also read:
How Councils Assess Site Plans in New Zealand.

Different Types of Site Plan Information Requests

Councils do not necessarily classify RFIs using the categories below, but most drawing-related requests can be understood as minor, technical, or substantial.

Minor Drawing Clarifications

• A missing label
• An unclear note
• A north arrow omitted
• A drawing title or revision number missing
• An existing structure not identified clearly

Technical Site Plan Corrections

• Setback measurements missing or inconsistent
• Property dimensions not shown
• Proposed structure dimensions unclear
• Site plan measurements conflicting with the floor plan
• Driveway, parking, or access information missing
• Easements or rights-of-way not identified

Substantial or Specialist Information Requests

• The proposed layout does not comply with planning rules
• Drainage or stormwater design is required
• Survey-accurate boundary information is needed
• Geotechnical or structural engineering information is missing
• Flood, slope, contamination, or natural-hazard issues require assessment
• The proposal needs to be redesigned

A drafting correction may resolve a minor or technical site-plan issue. A substantial request may require input from an engineer, surveyor, architect, planner, or another specialist.

The Most Common Reasons Site Plans Receive RFIs

1. Setbacks Cannot Be Verified

The site plan may show the proposed building but fail to label the distance between the building and the property boundaries.

Other problems include:

• Only one setback shown when several are relevant
• Measurements taken to the wall while roof projections are ignored
• Setbacks that conflict with the floor plan
• Dimensions that are too small or crowded to read

2. Property Boundaries Are Unclear

Boundaries may be missing, shown using an unclear line type, or based on approximate imagery without enough supporting information.

Where the proposal is close to a legal boundary, the council may request cadastral survey information.

3. Proposed Structure Placement Is Uncertain

A rough box drawn over an aerial image may not provide enough information to locate the proposed work.

The plan should normally show:

• The structure footprint
• Overall dimensions
• Setback distances
• Its relationship to the existing house
• A clear “proposed” label

4. Existing and Proposed Work Are Mixed Together

The council must be able to tell what already exists and what is included in the application.

Use clear labels, different line types, or a drawing legend to separate:

• Existing structures
• Proposed structures
• Structures to be removed
• Altered driveways or accessways

5. Drainage, Levels, or Earthworks Are Missing

Drainage and level information may become important when the project involves:

• Sloping land
• Retaining walls
• Large paved areas
• Flood-prone land
• Changes to stormwater runoff
• Excavation or fill

A standard site plan may show the general location of these features, but specialist drainage or engineering documents may also be required.

6. Easements or Rights-of-Way Are Not Shown

Proposed work may affect:

• Drainage easements
• Utility easements
• Shared driveways
• Legal rights-of-way
• Access benefiting another property

The site plan should show these areas when they are relevant to the proposed work.

7. The Drawing Is Difficult to Read

Even accurate information can cause problems when it is presented poorly.

Common readability issues include:

• Very small text
• Overlapping labels
• Blurry screenshots
• Confusing line types
• No visual distinction between structures and boundaries
• No scale or north point

Why Requirements Differ Between Properties

There is no single list of RFI items that applies to every council application.

The information requested depends on:

• The local District Plan or Unitary Plan
• The planning zone
• The type and size of the project
• How close the work is to property boundaries
• Whether the property is sloping or flood-prone
• Whether shared access or easements are involved
• Whether natural-hazard or heritage overlays apply
• Whether building consent, resource consent, or both are required

One property may require only a few additional measurements. Another may need a survey, engineering report, stormwater design, or planning assessment.

Always respond to the actual numbered items in your council letter rather than relying on a generic checklist alone.

The Second-RFI Problem

A common cause of prolonged delays is submitting a partial response.

This can happen when:

• Only some of the council’s questions are answered
• The written response changes but the drawing does not
• One measurement is corrected while related measurements remain inconsistent
• A revised site plan conflicts with the floor plan
• New information creates another unanswered question
• Supporting reports referred to in the response are not supplied

The council then needs to review the response, identify what remains outstanding, and issue another request or clarification.

The safest approach is to prepare one coordinated response that addresses every council item and updates every affected drawing.

An Illustrative RFI Timeline

The actual timeline varies between councils and applications, but an incomplete response can create a cycle like this:

1. The council issues an RFI
2. The applicant reviews the request
3. A partial drawing revision is submitted
4. The council reassesses the information
5. Outstanding or newly created issues are identified
6. Another response is requested
7. The drawings are revised again
8. The council reassesses the application

A matter that could have been resolved through one coordinated response may instead extend across several preparation and review cycles.

What Not to Do When Responding

• Do not answer only the easiest questions
• Do not submit the same unclear drawing again
• Do not change one plan without updating related drawings
• Do not rely on a written explanation when the drawing itself needs correction
• Do not describe approximate information as survey-certified
• Do not ignore questions that require specialist input
• Do not assume neighbour approval automatically resolves planning non-compliance
• Do not rush the response without checking it against the council’s complete letter

What to Do Instead

1. Read the entire RFI before changing the plans
2. Separate the request into numbered action items
3. Identify which items require drawing revisions
4. Identify which items require written answers
5. Identify which items require a surveyor, engineer, planner, or other specialist
6. Update every affected drawing consistently
7. Check all dimensions and labels
8. Prepare a response schedule explaining where each item has been addressed
9. Review the complete response before resubmission

Your goal is not merely to send more pages. Your goal is to provide the information needed to close every outstanding item.

Site Plan Resubmission Checklist

Before submitting a revised site plan, check whether it clearly shows:

• The correct property address
• Property boundaries and lot dimensions
• Existing buildings and structures
• Proposed work clearly identified
• Proposed structure dimensions
• Setbacks from all relevant boundaries
• Distances between structures where required
• Driveways, parking, accessways, and vehicle crossings
• Easements and rights-of-way where relevant
• Drainage, contours, or levels where requested
• A north arrow and site orientation
• A drawing scale or clear measurements
• The current revision number and date
• Information consistent with the floor plans and elevations

The Five-Second Clarity Check

Before resubmitting the drawing, look at it as though you have never seen the property before.

Can you identify within a few seconds:

• The property boundaries?
• The existing house and structures?
• The proposed work?
• The dimensions of the proposed work?
• The relevant setback measurements?
• The driveway and access arrangement?
• The north direction and drawing scale?

If essential information is difficult to locate, reorganise the drawing before it is submitted.

This is not an official council approval test. It is a useful readability check designed to identify clutter and ambiguity.

When a Revised Site Plan Is Not Enough

Some information requests cannot be resolved by redrawing the site plan.

Additional professional input may be required when the council asks for:

• A legal boundary survey
• A topographical survey
• Structural calculations
• A geotechnical assessment
• A stormwater or civil engineering design
• A flood-risk assessment
• An Assessment of Environmental Effects
• A planning compliance assessment
• A traffic or vehicle-tracking assessment
• Heritage, contamination, or ecological information

A clear site plan can incorporate and reference the resulting information, but it cannot replace specialist certification where the council requires it.

You can also read:
When a Site Plan Is Not Enough in New Zealand.

How to Get Your Application Moving Again

A strong RFI response should:

• Address every numbered council item
• Use accurate and consistent measurements
• Update the complete drawing set where necessary
• Clearly identify all drawing revisions
• Include supporting reports requested by the council
• Remove contradictions between plans
• Explain where each requested item has been answered

For site-plan corrections, the revised drawing should communicate the property layout and proposed work without relying on the reviewer to interpret a long written explanation.

You can also read:
Site Plan Rejection Fixes in New Zealand.

Get Your Site Plan Corrected

At NZ Site Plan, we can revise the site-plan portion of your application using the council’s written request, existing drawings, property information, measurements, photographs, and project details.

Your revised site plan may include:

• Clear property boundaries and dimensions
• Existing and proposed structures identified
• Accurate setback labels based on the information provided
• Driveways, parking, accessways, and vehicle crossings
• Easements and rights-of-way where relevant information is available
• North point, scale, drawing title, and revision details
• A clean layout suitable for inclusion in your council response

Send the complete RFI letter with your order so the requested site-plan corrections can be reviewed together.

Where the council requires survey, engineering, architectural, planning, or other specialist information, that work must be supplied by the appropriate professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Section 92 request?

It is a request for further information made by a consent authority under Section 92 of the Resource Management Act in relation to a resource consent application.

Are all council RFIs Section 92 requests?

No. Building-consent authorities also issue Requests for Further Information under the building-consent process. Check which type of application the council letter relates to.

Has my application been rejected?

Not necessarily. An RFI generally means the council needs more information before it can complete its assessment.

Does the processing clock stop?

It may. Building-consent processing days can be stopped while requested information is outstanding. Resource-consent excluded-time rules depend on the timing and circumstances of the Section 92 request.

Can I provide a written explanation instead of revising the site plan?

A written response may be useful, but the drawing should normally be revised when the council’s concern relates to missing, unclear, or inconsistent plan information.

Do I need to answer every item?

Yes. A complete response should address every numbered question or explain why a particular item does not apply.

Can NZ Site Plan respond directly to the council for me?

NZ Site Plan can prepare or revise the site-plan drawing. You remain responsible for submitting the application and coordinating any survey, engineering, architectural, or planning information required.

What should I send with my order?

Send the full council RFI letter, current site plan, floor plans, proposed dimensions, property information, photographs, surveys if available, and any other drawings referred to by the council.

How long will the delay last?

It depends on how quickly the requested information is prepared, whether specialist reports are needed, and whether the response fully addresses the council’s questions.

Does a corrected site plan guarantee approval?

No. A clearer site plan can resolve drawing-related questions, but the council must still assess the complete application against the applicable legal and technical requirements.

Final Takeaway

A council request for more information does not automatically mean your proposal has failed.

It means the council cannot yet finish assessing the application using the information currently supplied.

The most effective response is to:

• Read every council question carefully
• Correct the affected drawings
• Keep all plans consistent
• Provide specialist information where required
• Submit one complete and coordinated response

A clear site plan cannot guarantee approval, but it can eliminate avoidable uncertainty about boundaries, setbacks, structure placement, access, and the overall property layout.

Address every requested item properly the first time and give the council the information it needs to continue.