Getting Into the Zone with Land Development
Subdividing your property can be both useful and lucrative - if it’s done right. While you may own your land, you are still governed by rules and regulations according to the zoning status of your property. If you are looking at land in Wellington, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and Porirua, Levin, and Kapiti Coast, then Tararua Land Surveyors are the experts in your area.
Biodiversity
Some areas of the country are zoned as conservation lots, if you are looking for land development opportunities, it pays to be aware of what land is allowed to be subdivided in the area you are looking to purchase. For instance, some land is zoned under ‘Wildlife Area’, this may be to protect a particular species of flora or fauna that is only found in that area. At Tararua Land Surveyors it’s our business to guide you through the subdivision process, we stay abreast of developments in the land development and surveying business so you don’t have to.
Stewardship Areas
In 1987 when DOC was first established the department was given the care of some land that was marked as having possible conservation value. These lots are subject to ongoing assessment to determine whether they can be opened up for reclassification, this means that if they are determined to be of low or no conservation value that the regulations around these lots may change. It’s worth checking back with our land surveyors if there is a piece of land you really wanted in the Wellington, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and Porirua, Levin, and Kapiti Coast areas that was previously zoned under ’Stewardship’ as this zoning may shift across time.
Coastal Hazards
The Department of Conservation also looks at rezoning land which could contribute to addressing the ongoing issue of land that is at risk for tsunami or other types of hazards which affect properties along the New Zealand coastline. Land development may be rezoned as part of a managed retreat from areas that may be at risk now or are possibly subject to risk in the future. These issues are certainly pertinent across Wellington, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and Porirua, Levin, and Kapiti Coast.
Due Diligence
If you are planning on investing in land that you may wish to subdivide down the line, it makes sense to make sure that your dream property is not a conservation lot. In New Zealand, we take the protection of biodiversity and culturally significant sites seriously, and while there are possibilities for rezoning under some circumstances, it may be easier to purchase land that doesn’t have these restrictions in place.
Start your subdivision journey by contacting Tararua Land Surveyors, we can ensure your land development project across Wellington, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and Porirua, Levin, and Kapiti Coast gets off on the right foot from day one.