National will make it easier to build shops, offices and other commercial buildings by removing unnecessary delays and costs in the building consent system, National's Building and Construction spokesperson Chris Penk says.
Under National, qualified engineers will be able to sign off certain building work without needing a council inspection. National will also designate a specialist Building Consent Authority to engage through a single, nationally consistent pathway for consents.
"The construction sector employs around 10 per cent of New Zealand's workforce and makes up at least 6 per cent of GDP. But for too long, building has been slower and more expensive than it needs to be," Mr Penk says.
"That is why National has made fixing the building and construction sector a priority in Government.
"We have already made changes to make building easier and more affordable, including allowing more overseas building products, speeding up inspections, improving liability rules and making earthquake-prone building rules more practical.
"National will keep that momentum going if re-elected, starting with commercial buildings, which make up around $9 billion of consented work each year.
"Large commercial buildings are complex projects. They often involve specialist engineering systems that are designed and peer reviewed by experts.
"But even when that expert work has already been done, these projects still have to go through a consent process that is often better suited to a standard house than a large retail or commercial development. That can mean extra checks, extra paperwork, extra cost and extra uncertainty, without making buildings any safer or better quality.
"A re-elected National Government will fix this with two key changes.
"First, we will allow qualified engineers to sign off building work without the need for a council inspection by formalising the role of producer statements in the Building Act.
"Producer statements are already widely used in the industry to indicate that work complies with the Building Code, but they currently have no formal status. That creates inconsistency and leads councils to duplicate checks over liability concerns.
"Under National's policy, Building Consent Authorities must accept that producer statements from qualified experts mean that the work complies with the Building Code, where those statements meet prescribed requirements.
"Second, National will designate a specialist Building Consent Authority to be able to consent large commercial buildings. This will provide major projects with a single clear, nationally consistent pathway with the right specialist expertise.
"This means complex projects will no longer need to depend on a local council happening to have specialist staff available. It will also free up councils to focus more on standard and residential consents to support more Kiwis to build or renovate their home.
"For retailers, developers, and businesses, it means less time stuck in consenting and more certainty to invest, expand and create jobs. For families and communities, it means new shops, workplaces, and local amenities can be built sooner and at lower cost.
"Streamlining commercial building consents will help get major projects moving faster, reduce unnecessary costs, support more jobs, and create more opportunities for New Zealanders. It is all part of National's plan to fix the basics and build the future."
