Project Information Memorandum (PIM)

What is a Project Information Memorandum (PIM)?

A Project Information Memorandum (PIM) is a memorandum issues by the Territorial Authority (Council) under section 34 of the Building Act 2003 and sets out information relevant to your building work.

The information is provided on a prescribed form and is required to include all such information known to Council which may be relevant to the proposed building work or site.  This includes hazards, and the potential for:

  • erosion
  • avulsion (removal of land by water action)
  • falling debris
  • subsidence
  • inundation (including flooding, overland flow, storm surge, tidal effects and ponding)
  • slippage
  • alluvium (the deposit of silt from flooding) and
  • the presence of hazardous contaminants which are likely to be relevant to the design, construction or alteration of your proposed building which are known to Council.

Details of stormwater or wastewater utility systems which may relate to your project or site will also be included (where applicable).

A PIM also identifies any additional approvals required such as:

  • Resource Management Act
  • Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (work affecting heritage buildings/sites) and
  • New Zealand Fire Service Commission.

The PIM also includes confirmation, subject to other provisions of the Act, that you may carry out the building work subject to other necessary authorisations being obtained. A PIM does not give any form of approval under the District Plan or Building Act.

You would need to contact the Council Planner, or your own planning adviser, to determine whether your proposal complies with the District Plan. If it does not, and Resource Consent is required, you are strongly advised to obtain this before seeking Building Consent to avoid possible expensive changes to your proposal.

Obtaining a PIM is voluntary, however information provided in a PIM may be useful when designing your project. Council recommends that you apply for a PIM prior to the application of a building consent. A PIM can be applied for separately or in conjunction with your Building Consent. You can apply for a PIM using the Objective Build online system. This is accessed via Kaipara District Council Website.

All applications must be accompanied by one copy of the following documentation:

  • site plan
  • floor plan
  • building elevations
  • working drawings including foundations, cross-sections etcetera
  • Certificate of Title along with any consent notices associated with the title
  • supporting documentation such as from Geotechnical and/or Chartered Professional engineers and
  • technical specifications for products used with appropriate supporting documents

Council is required to issue the PIM within twenty (20) working days of application being received, however, depending on workloads, this may be earlier. Providing all fees are paid, the PIM will be sent to the applicant when it is issued. If the PIM is applied for with the Building Consent the timeframe for the issue of both is 20 working days. Sometimes it may be necessary for Council to obtain further information from you to enable your PIM processing to be completed. In such cases the Council will contact you with a formal request for further information.