This is a tale of a total abuse of the Resource Management Act and local council planning rules. The council said this must include "subcontracting a lizard specialist to assess whether a lizard management plan would also be needed".

This is a tale of a breath-taking rip-off.

It's about a decent hard-working guy merely trying to build a house.

He is being gouged financially as part of the planning and consent process.

It's no wonder we have a nationwide housing shortage when these sorts of disgraces are taking place.

It's the story of how some little lizards potentially risk derailing a building project.

I can't say where this is happening for fear of reprisals to the landowner and the builders overseeing the project.

They are too scared to go public and have asked me to tell the story. I have seen all the council paperwork - it's astonishing.

This is a tale of a total abuse of the Resource Management Act and local council planning rules.

No wonder there's a shortage of housing stock.

This house construction was supposed to have started months ago at a site that needed some native bush and vegetation cleared. An arborist was called in and prepared a report.

But the local council then elevated it and demanded a whole new plan including an "ecological assessment of any likely/potential adverse effects caused by the clearance".

Officials also wanted a restoration plan outlining what "supplementary planting" and "weed management" would take place.

But then came the gratuitous bombshell.

The council said this must include "subcontracting a lizard specialist to assess whether a lizard management plan would also be needed". Sorry? A what?

Officials needed to know whether lizards or native geckos exist at the property . . . and whether their lives are in danger.

The work for this new plan would be $3000 plus GST. The cost of the lizard survey was extra - and estimated to be about $1600.

That included a site visit, three days of trapping, accommodation costs of $240 and paying mileage for a 200km-plus return trip (totalling about $300).

The 10 traps and torches used to hunt for lizards were provided "free of charge" in the quote.

How bloody generous.

Remember this bloke is just trying to get a resource consent to build his home.

He doesn't have it yet. And then it got even more farcical.

Under local planning rules and the Resource Management Act he must consult with local iwi groups.

They must be notified of his plan to cut down some of the native bush.

All six interested iwi groups have to be contacted.

Some of these iwi groups live hundreds of kilometres away from the building site, but have historical connections to the area.

Three of these groups have so far asked for initial site visits.

These don't come cheap either. One of the iwi is charging $240 an hour, plus travel costs (and excluding GST).

This iwi goes on to say should a proper cultural impact assessment be needed they will provide the details of the costs involved.

Another iwi group say they see the trees as "taonga in need of protection from climate change, disease and ongoing development and they generally oppose the removal or felling of native trees".

They also want an initial site visit to assess whether a wider cultural assessment is needed - but the kaitiaki (guardian) can't do it till April.

Apparently some bloke turned up for lizard patrol one night with a torch, barely knowing what he was looking for - and found nothing.

So far they've found one lizard in total - 500 metres away from the building site!

I'm sorry, this is a sick joke. It's a rort and hard-working people are being ripped off.

Yes, we need planning rules and a consent process. But the RMA has created a cottage industry of outrageous ripoffs in the name of cultural political correctness.

This particular consent has been held up for months because iwi groups are gaming the system.

Councils are clearly misinterpreting the law and too many groups have too much power over private property.

This is an abuse of the system. It may be legal but it's not right.

Government ministers need to read this and do something about it.

These sorts of antics are holding development back.

It's just putting money into the pockets of the self-appointed and self- important.

Surely this is not how anyone envisaged our planning laws working.