A PIM is a report issued by the Council prior to, or in conjunction with, a building consent. A PIM report provides information known to the Council that is relevant to your building proposal such as location of underground services, the likelihood of flooding or subsidence, and compliance with the District Plan. A PIM is generally required for all building work.

For all larger projects, new houses, large alterations, and new commercial and industrial buildings, you will find a PIM very useful in establishing the feasibility and planning of the project.

You are encouraged to apply for a PIM prior to the building consent application.

Obtaining a PIM: what you need to provide

• A completed PIM application form.
• A site plan (scale 1:200, with a north point shown) showing legal boundaries and dimensions.
• The site plan drawing needs to be a plan view accurately locating and dimensioning the new building works relative to the boundaries.
• A bulk and location drawing that shows:
  - Building outline and the layout of the rooms
  - Elevations of the main exterior walls with heights above ground level
  - Setback distances from the boundaries and other buildings
  - Floor areas (in m2) of all existing and proposed buildings. Separate dimensions are to be given for detached buildings and any top floors.
  - The area of the site on the plan.

The PIM may show that you need other authorisations, for example:

if your proposed building does not comply with the District Plan, then a resource consent will have to be obtained

if you intend to build in a flood prone area, you will require a report from the Otago Regional Council

PIM application forms are available from any of the Council offices, or they can be posted or/faxed to you.

To download the PIM application form, click here (pdf, 160kb)

Council is required to prepare the PIM within 20 working days of application.

Building inspections

Building control officers will inspect your building activities to ensure they comply with the approved plans. Some consents will require several different inspections depending on the nature and purpose of the building. The number of inspections required will depend on the complexity of the building and the systems included.

Contact the building control officers on 03 440 0615 to arrange an inspection. Twenty-four hours notice is needed to book an inspection.