Your responsibilities as an applicant for a concession
Information about what is expected of you in the application process for permission (a concession) to set up and run a commercial business or non-profit activity, occupy land or build structures on conservation land.
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Real Journeys boat in Milford Sound
DOC provides a free pre-application meeting with local concessions staff, who will explain everything you need to know. It is is highly recommended that you take advantage of this to help ensure you have all the advice and information you need to prepare a quality application.
To make an appointment to discuss your proposal please contact your local DOC concessions staff.
Your application must be of a high standard and contain all the required information and documentation, otherwise it will be rejected.
DOC is required to consult and take into account the views of iwi.
You may also need to consult iwi as part of preparing your environmental impact assessment (EIA). If you do need to consult iwi we recommend that you do it as early on as possible.
Your local DOC office can tell you if you need to consult iwi and if so who you should to talk to in your free pre-application meeting or by phone. Contact your local DOC concessions staff.
DOC has endorsed the Aviation Industry Association's AIRCARE accreditation programme. This means that as of 18 January 2012 all new and re-issued concessions for aircraft operators operating on public conservation land will have a requirement that by 1 January 2013 the operator will hold and comply with AIA AIRCARE accreditation throughout the term of their concession. .
As part of your application you must supply a quality EIA. The concessions process is effects-based and you need to show that you have considered all actual and potential effects of your activity and suggested ways to avoid, remedy or mitigate them.
DOC recovers all costs to process a concession application from applicants whether the application is approved or declined. The processing cost depends on whether the application:
- needs to be notified or not; and/or
- is standard or complicated/complex.
If at any stage your application is withdrawn, or declined, DOC will invoice you for the costs incurred by DOC up to that point.
If you are sent an 'Acknowledgement of Payment of Costs' form you must agree to pay the costs as set out and return the signed form within 10 working days or your concession will not be processed further.
If DOC requests further information you must provide all that information within 15 working days.
If you fail to provide that information the process will continue, but you run the risk that your application may be declined due to insufficient information.
Note: This timeframe is extendable by mutual agreement with DOC if there are good reasons for it.
This only applies to "Notified" concessions.
If the decision in principle is made to grant your concession DOC must publicly advertise (notify) it in newspapers and will also put it on the DOC website so interested people can make submissions.
A public Hearing may also be held to allow people to present their views in more detail, but only if they request it. A Hearing panel will be appointed to hear the submissions. You must pay the costs of public notification and any Hearing.
You will have the 'right of reply' at the end of the Hearing to present any information in response to submissions or to clarify matters for the panel.
A Hearing is not often requested by submitters. If it is you should seek a Pre-hearing meeting with any submitters wanting to be heard, so you can solve any issues and potentially avoid the need for a formal Hearing.
Current notified applications are listed under DOC consultations.
When all the views about your proposal have been obtained the decision on whether or not to grant your concession will be made and you will be informed.
If your application is granted you will have one month to accept the offer and sign and return a copy of the contract. Otherwise the offer will expire and you will have to re-apply.
If you are granted a recreation concession you will be required to prepare a safety plan and have it audited by an approved OutdoorsMark auditor unless you are already certified by Qualmark or OutdoorsMark.
View concessionaire safety plans guidelines and the OutdoorsMark audit form to help you develop a suitable safety plan. If you pass the safety audit you will be OutdoorsMark certified.
You must provide DOC with a copy of either your Qualmark or OutdoorsMark certification within 6 months of your concession being granted andprior to operating your concession.
You have the right to have any decision reconsidered. If you wish to apply for reconsideration you should do so within 20 working days of being informed of the decision. You must pay the costs for a reconsideration. A reconsideration is a re-assessment of your application by a specially appointed and trained Reconsideration Panel using the same process as before (Non-notified, Notified, One-off, etc).
The concessions application and consideration process requires professionalism from both DOC and the applicant.
Your application must be of a high standard and contain all the required information and documentation. Any requests for additional fees or further information must be responded to within the set timeframe.
DOC undertakes to process your application within the set timeframe and to communicate with you in a clear and timely manner.
Get more information
Contact your local DOC concessions staff who will be able to give you more detail regarding the concessions process.
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