Environmental Approval

An Environment Approval is a permission required for the construction of a standard residential dwelling or non-construction purposes such as land clearance. 

The Environment Approval is widely known as the ‘Building Permit’. It is part of an approval process by three Government Agencies: once the Environment Approval is issued by NES, the applicant must also obtain a Sanitation Permit from Te Marae Ora Ministry of Health (TMO) and a Building Permit from Infrastructure Cook Islands (ICI) before they proceed with the construction.

All Environment Approvals must be granted by the NES Director. The Environmental Compliance Department will process the application. 

While an Environment Approval is for an activity that has minimal environment impact, the Cook Islands takes all matters relating to the environment seriously. The protection and conservation of the Cook Islands environment is supported by every Cook Islander.

The Environmental Approval is specified in Tier 1 of the Environmental Compliance Services;

Construction

• Residential dwelling

Non-Construction

• Land Clearance
• Tree Cutting
• Trek Clearing