National to make it easier to build the future

A more efficient building consent system

National will make it easier to build shops, offices and other commercial buildings by removing unnecessary delays and costs in the building consent system.

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.

What we'll do

Less red tape for commercial projects

allowing 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.

A dedicated Building Consent Authority for large commercial buildings

will provide major projects with a single clear, nationally consistent pathway with the right specialist expertise.

Freeing up councils to focus on housing

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.

Getting projects moving faster

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Producer statements are professional documents used to support building consent applications and code compliance certification.

MBIE describes a producer statement as a professional opinion based on specialist expertise. They are commonly used where building work involves technical areas such as structural engineering, fire design, geotechnical work, or proprietary systems.

Producer statements help Building Consent Authorities, or BCAs, decide whether there are reasonable grounds to issue a building consent or code compliance certificate. They provide councils with assurance from qualified professionals and can reduce the need for councils to duplicate specialist checks.

There are four main types of producer statements: PS1 – Design: confirms aspects of the design. PS2 – Design Review: confirms an independent review of aspects of the design. PS3 – Construction: often used by installers of proprietary systems. PS4 – Construction Review: confirms review of construction work.

Producer statements are already well-established and widely used across the building sector. However, they do not currently have a formal statutory status under the Building Act 2004.

This means councils can choose how much weight to give a producer statement and may still carry out their own checks, even where specialist professionals have already reviewed the work.

The current system therefore supports the use of producer statements but does not provide a clear or consistent framework for relying on them. This can create duplication, delay and uncertainty, particularly for large or complex building projects where specialist engineers are already designing, reviewing and monitoring key parts of the work.

Developers can choose to use the dedicated BCA’s service or continue with their local BCA as usual.

For in-scope projects accepted by the dedicated BCA, other BCAs are not expected to process these applications but may be contacted for information or for coordinating services.

The new dedicated commercial BCA will be modelled off the building consent service for supermarket developments announced last year. A preferred provider will be selected following a closed competitive sourcing process.

Buildings considered as category Commercial 3 under the National Building Consent Authority Competency Assessment System will be in-scope of the new BCA. Category 3 covers large or complex commercial buildings, including high-rise or high-occupancy structures, generally over 4 storeys or more and which can have more than 500 occupants.