Minimum impact activities

What are minimum impact activities?

These are activities with very minimum impacts such as aerial surveying, sampling and surveying using hand held methods only. It does not include work that requires clearing vegetation or excavation. They are defined in Section 2 of the Crown Minerals Act 1991.

Consent is required from DOC to undertake mininmum impact activities. Consent is made under Sections 49 and 50 of the Crown Minerals Act - "no person may, without the consent of the owner or occupier of the land, enter public conservation land for the purpose of carrying out a minimum impact activity."

Applying for a minimum impact activity consent

If you want to undertake a minimum impact activity then you need to get a consent.

Applications should be made to the Community Relations Manager in the relevant conservancy office. The amount of detail necessary in your application will depend on the scope and scale of your proposed operation. Completing a detailed application will assist with the efficient processing of your application.

Minimum impact activity application form (PDF, 18K)

Once DOC has received your application, an initial review will be undertaken and you may be asked to provide more information. When the application is deemed complete, processing will begin.

DOC is required to take into account any views that tangata whenua may have about your application and it is recommended that prior to lodging an application you consult with the relevant iwi regarding your application. Your conservancy office can provide contact details.

You may also require a concession from DOC for any related activity on public conservation land outside of the mineral permit boundary or for any associated wildlife permits.

In the case of a complex minimum impact activity consent, further consultation and information may be required.

Under the new legistlation, you no longer require an access arrangement to mine in the coastal marine area unless that land is also public conservation land.

View a flowchart that shows the process (PDF, 16K).

Decisions

Applications for consent will be considered with regard to the:

• Objectives of the various legislation
• Purpose for which the land in question is held
• Conservation management strategy and any management plans in place for the land; and
• Safeguards to be put in place against any potential adverse effects of carrying out the proposed activity.

Costs

DOC requires applicants to meet the actual and reasonable costs of considering their applications, including staff time and any travel costs for site visits. The payment of costs does not imply that your application will be successful. Should you withdraw your application at any stage, you will be liable for the processing costs up until that time. The costs are:

• Straightforward minimum impact activity: a non-refundable fee of $250 + GST is required on lodgement of your application
• Complex minimum impact activity: a non-refundable fee of $800 + GST is required on lodgement of your application.

The majority of minimum impact activity applications will fit the straightforward category. More complex applications may involve particularly sensitive areas or where site visits are required. You will be informed by your conservancy office which category your application fits within.

Timeframe

Applications will be processed in a timely manner and the overall targets for processing are:

• Straightforward minimum impact activity: 2 weeks/10 working days target processing time.
• Complex minimum impact activity: 1 month/22 working days target processing time.

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