Do I Need a Resource Consent for an Offal Pit in Canterbury?

If you're on a Canterbury farm and you need a new offal pit, the first question most people ask is: do I need to apply for resource consent? The short answer is: it depends on the size and location of the pit. Here's what the Canterbury Land and Water Regional Plan (CLWRP) actually says.

What is an Offal Pit?

An offal pit — sometimes called a dead hole — is a covered pit used to dispose of dead stock, home kill waste, and animal remains on a farm. They're a practical necessity on any working farm, but they need to be constructed and sited correctly to avoid contaminating groundwater and waterways.

What Does the CLWRP Say?

The Canterbury Land and Water Regional Plan (CLWRP) is the key document governing offal pit construction in the Canterbury region. Under the CLWRP, offal pits are a permitted activity — meaning you generally do not need resource consent — provided you meet all of the following conditions:

• The pit must be covered at all times when not in use
• The pit must be located at least 50 metres from any surface water body (stream, river, lake, drain)
• The pit must be located at least 50 metres from any bore or well used for water supply
• The pit must be located at least 20 metres from any property boundary
• The pit must not be located in a flood-prone area
• The pit must be large enough to contain all the waste generated on the property

If your proposed site cannot meet these setback distances — for example, if your property is small or you're close to a waterway — then you will need to apply for resource consent from Environment Canterbury (ECan) before construction.

What Size Offal Pit Do I Need?

The CLWRP doesn't specify a minimum size, but the pit must be large enough to contain the waste your property generates. As a general guide:

• Small lifestyle block (1–5 stock units): A 900mm diameter pit is usually sufficient
• Medium farm (5–50 stock units): A 1200mm diameter pit is recommended
• Large farm (50+ stock units): Multiple pits or a larger diameter may be required

We drill offal pits in 900mm and 1200mm diameters. The depth depends on your soil type and the volume of waste you need to dispose of — we'll advise on this when we quote the job.

What About the Lid?

The CLWRP requires offal pits to be covered at all times when not in use. We supply new treated timber lids with a hinged opening as standard. Where an existing concrete lid is still structurally sound and compliant, we can reuse it to keep costs down.

Do I Need to Notify Anyone?

If your pit meets all the permitted activity conditions, you don't need to notify Environment Canterbury or your district council. However, it's always worth keeping a record of where your pit is located and when it was constructed — this is useful if you ever sell the property.

What If I'm Outside Canterbury?

If you're in Marlborough, Nelson, Otago, Southland, or another South Island region, the rules will be set by your regional council. The general principles are similar — setback distances from water, covered at all times — but the specific requirements vary. We're familiar with the rules across the South Island and will make sure your pit is compliant wherever you are.