Granting consents and issuing permits to undertake specific activities with very defined boundaries - where the amount of activity is limited and/or the place of activity is defined. Usually to do with construction according to the building code or use of the environment under the Resource Management Act. Includes refusing to grant consent
EXAMPLES: Issuing resource consents, issuing building consents. Issuing mining consent, water rights usage, discharge of waste water permits. Also includes the process of hearing submissions related to a specific application for consent. EXCLUDES: Hearings related to the development of District or Regional Plans, see 'Rulemaking, Developing delegated legislation' or taking an appeal against refusal to grant a permit, see 'Upholding the rules, Ensuring compliance, Conducting legal hearings'