Changes to improve building inspection service across South Taranaki
From Monday 14 September, South Taranaki District Council will roll out changes to its building inspection service designed to improve efficiency, provide greater certainty for customers, reduce waiting times, and ensure better access to inspections across the district.
The changes include a trial of ward-based inspection days and the introduction of evidence-based inspections, with live-streamed remote inspections planned as a future enhancement.
The new approach is designed to help builders, contractors and property owners plan construction work with greater certainty while ensuring Council can continue to meet demand for inspections. By reducing travel time between inspection sites, inspectors will be able to spend more time carrying out inspections and less time on the road, helping improve service availability across South Taranaki.
Under the ward-based trial, inspections will be scheduled within specific wards on designated days:
- Te Hāwera Ward and Eltham-Kaponga Ward: Monday and Wednesday
- Taranaki Coastal Ward: Tuesday and Thursday
- Pātea Ward: Friday
Inspections in Hāwera will continue to be available every weekday, although priority will be given to properties located within the ward scheduled for inspection on that day.
Building and Planning Manager Jessica Sorensen says the changes are focused on delivering a service that better meets customer needs.
"We know builders, contractors and homeowners need certainty to keep projects moving. By scheduling inspections geographically and introducing new technology, we're creating a service that's easier to plan around, more efficient and better able to meet demand across the district,” says Jessica.
The ward-based schedule will initially operate as a trial and will be reviewed before any decision is made about permanent implementation.
Council will also introduce evidence-based inspections for selected lower-risk inspection types, allowing inspectors to assess compliance using photographs and supporting documentation rather than requiring an onsite visit where appropriate. Initially, these inspections will be available for pole shed foundations in rural zones, half-height veneer inspections, fire inspections, tiled shower membrane inspections, post-line extensions and alterations, and standalone stormwater drainage inspections.
Before the end of the year, Council plans to introduce live-streamed remote inspections, allowing inspectors, builders and property owners to connect in real time. The technology is expected to increase flexibility, improve inspection availability, and provide additional benefits for customers in rural and remote locations.
Customers will continue to book inspections through Council as they do currently. Together, these changes are designed to help construction projects progress more smoothly while ensuring building work continues to meet required safety, quality and compliance standards.
More information can be found online at www.southtaranaki.com/building
