Project Information Memorandum (PIM)

A PIM is a council-issued report providing information relevant to a proposed building project — site conditions, services, hazards and requirements the council knows about.

What it contains

Drainage and services locations, natural hazard information, geotechnical information the council holds, any special conditions applying to the site, and whether other authorisations are required.

When it is needed

You can apply for a PIM at the preliminary design stage, or apply for building consent without one — in which case the consent is generally processed as though a PIM application had been made.

Critically: a PIM is required before starting work on a granny flat under the 2026 consent exemption, even though no building consent is needed. Consent exemption does not mean no council involvement.

Why it is useful

It surfaces site constraints before you have spent money on design. Finding a sewer main under your proposed building platform at PIM stage is dramatically cheaper than finding it at consent stage.

Common misunderstanding

A PIM is not an approval. It provides information; it does not authorise anything.

It is not the same as a LIM. A LIM is about the property generally and is used in purchase due diligence; a PIM relates to a specific proposed project.

Related terms

Last reviewed: 1 August 2026 · General information only, not legal advice.

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