"Some of our clients have definitely pressed pause on development," Terramark resource management planner Darryl Sycamore said.
Those developers pressing on, despite the Dunedin City Council’s conservative policy position about historical use of lead-based paint, would recoup the resulting costs from home buyers, he said.
The wait continued last week for urgent formal guidelines from the Ministry for the Environment.
Such guidance was requested by councillors in August amid concern the council’s interpretation of rules was unusual, overly cautious and increased development costs.
At a council meeting last week, Cr Russell Lund said surveyors had heard from 36 other councils and the Dunedin City Council was almost alone in its approach.
Council corporate and regulatory services general manager Paul Henderson said he understood "at least one other council" had a similar interpretation.
The ministry indicated that once lead had been identified, there was a common way it was dealt with, Mr Henderson said.
"The only difference from our point of view ... is that where we have identified a risk, we ask for that testing to be undertaken.
"Once the soil has been identified with lead in it, or contaminants in it, that’s when a plan needs to be put in place to remediate."
Deputy mayor Cherry Lucas said the ministry had provided an initial response, but developers continued to wait for clarity.
"Is there an ability to follow up more urgently?" she said.
Mr Henderson said on Thursday he had followed up and the response was due either that week or this week.
On Friday, he said a response was anticipated shortly.
"Once that response has been reviewed, staff will prepare a report for an upcoming council meeting."
At this stage, it is possible the subject might make it into the agenda for the December 11 council meeting.
"Depending on timing and the content of the response, it may instead be circulated directly to councillors," Mr Henderson said.
In August, Terramark, Patersons and TL Survey Services — the three main survey companies in Dunedin — wrote to Minister of Housing Chris Bishop, asking him to intervene.
They requested the minister advise the Dunedin City Council its implementation was flawed and that it should "cease the practice without delay".
They also wanted a nationally consistent approach where lead-based paint might have been present on older housing stock, "to support the development of safer, more accessible, and more cost-effective housing solutions".
