Subdivision

What is a subdivision consent?

A subdivision consent is one of the types of resource consent which we administer.

Follow the link below for general information about resource consents.

A subdivision consent is needed for any of the following:

• dividing a parcel of land or a unit title into one or more further parcels
• changing an existing boundary location
• granting a lease of part of a parcel of land
• granting a cross lease/unit plan.

Applications for subdiving property are assessed against the requirements of the Resource Management Act and the District Plan.

For further information about the District Plan, follow the link below.

You will need to complete an application form, and include the following information:

• covering letter
• current Certificate of Title
• advance fee/deposit, $1,500.00
• subdivision plan
• assessment of environmental effects – this may need to be suppported by technical reports, such as engineering or landscape reports
• written permission from people/neighbours affected by the proposal
• planning maps/locality maps
• assessment against District Plan rules
• four copies of application and accompanying documents

It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide all details and information.

Subdivision Application [146.4kb]
Resource Consent Application Guidance Notes [187kb]
Assessment of Environmental Effects Form [66kb]
Affected Parties Written Approval Form [71.6kb]
Resource Consent Processing and Monitoring Fees [106kb]

Our Landscape Guidelines are designed to encourage best practice approaches to landscape planning associated with consent applications and provide direction on the information that should be provided in any resource consent application. 

For further information, follow the link below.

Landscape Guidelines

Requesting a lodgement meeting

A lodgement meeting is an opportunity for you to discuss any planning issues that may be relevant to the proposal and to ensure all necessary information has been supplied with the application.

To download the form to request a lodgement meeting, follow the link below.

Lodgement Meeting Request [52kb]

Notified and non-notified consents

When you submit your application, you may decide to request it to be publicly notified if the proposal is likely to have significant impact.

Alternatively, our planning staff may recommend that it is to be publicly notified after assessment of the application.

For further information about notified and non-notified consents, follow the link below.

There are several stages in the processing of a consent.

Checking/assessment

When we recieve an application, it is checked by staff in our Customer Services team to ensure the application form has been completed, the necessary information has been provided, and the application meets the basic requirements. This is not a technical planning check. The advance fee of $1,500.00 is paid at this stage.

The application is then forwarded to the Resource Consents Team Leader for assessment and a preliminary planning check. This is to ensure that the application satisfies the provisions of the RMA. If not, it may be rejected at this stage. If the application is accepted it is then allocated to one of our planning staff for processing.

Planning staff visit the site and prepare a report with recommendations, which is given to the Resource Consents Team Leader for consideration.

We are required to process applications within 20 working days.

Setting conditions

Conditions may include:

• providing a performance bond
• protecting, restoring and enhancing a natural or physical resource including the planting of vegetation
• entering into a covenant/consent notice
• measuring and monitoring impacts of the activity.

As well as the above conditions, subdivision consent conditions may also require the provision of an esplanade reserve or strip. 

Assessing Development Contributions

A senior planner considers the written report and recommendations. If approved, the resource consent may require Development Contributions and will be sent to our Development Contributions team for assessment.

For further information about Development Contributions, follow the link below.

Development Contributions

Granting/issuing the consent

When the Development Contributions assessment is complete, the consent is issued.

The decision and an invoice are sent to the applicant or the agent, if one has been engaged. Most applications incur some additional charges. Further processing costs may be incurred during processing and are charged after a decision is made on the application.

Council fees are payable whether or not the Land Use consent is issued.

If you or Council engage professional consultants to assist in determining compliance this will add to the costs of processing of an application.

Follow the link below for details of our Schedule of Fees and Charges.

Fees and Charges

Lodging an objection

If you are unhappy with the decision or any part of it you can object to a decision. However this is only the case if an application is non-notified or no submissions were received after notification.

All objections must be made in writing within 15 working days of the decision being issued, explaining the reason for the objection. Council must consider the objection within 20 working days, or, in the case of an objection relating to processing fees, as soon as practicable.

The following costs apply: 

• objection to costs – no advance fee
• objection to conditions - no advance fee.