The Government is scrapping the requirements for consents for low-risk building work such as sleep-outs, sheds and carports.

This is an attempt to get the construction sector to fire back up quicker on larger projects and assist the country's recovery from COVID-19.

The Government is introducing new exemptions to the Building Act in a move save homeowners $18 million in consenting costs each year. Building work must still meet the Building Code.

Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa says these changes will save New Zealanders time and money and mean councils can focus on higher-risk building work.

'Single-storey detached buildings up to 30 square metres – such as sleep-outs, sheds and greenhouses; carports; awnings; water storage bladders and others will now not require a Council-approved building consent, which will result in 9000 fewer consents to process a year.

'Some of the new exemptions will utilise the Licensed Builder Practitioners scheme, which recognises the competence of these building practitioners and allows them to join chartered professional engineers and certifying plumbers in having their own suite of exemptions.

These exemptions are just one part of the broader building system reform programme, which includes Construction Sector Accord Transformation Plan, the Construction Skills Action Plan, and Building Law reforms, Jenny says.

'Every New Zealander deserves a warm, dry, safe home, and this Government is finding ways to help build more houses by unclogging the building consent process, making it quicker and more affordable.”