Your land surveyed with Brent Trail Surveying Services Ltd

Rules relating to subdivision are always changing – sometimes in a major way. So, if you’re managing a block of rural land you should keep abreast of the rules. Too often we have people wanting to do what their neighbour did five of 10 years ago and we must disappoint them.

Currently, there are major plan changes underway in the Waikato and Coromandel and minor tweaks are always on the go. In the Coromandel landowners recently lost the ability to subdivide with the average size of the resultant blocks being more than 20ha. They’re now fighting in the Environment Court to get that rule back.  

In the Waikato a recent announcement has opened opportunities for those in the old Franklin council area and carried forward existing subdivision rules in the original Waikato area. However, don’t be complacent if this offers you opportunities – it may not last long. What we can see, as with Coromandel, is the final rule following council hearings is not what was advertised or requested in submissions.

There’s been a huge shift towards directing lifestyle living into enclaves in villages or the outskirts of towns. Typically, these very small blocks, more residential in nature, are too small for some. Simultaneously, other rural subdivision is being eliminated completely or limited to very large blocks.  While this is understood in relation to large tracts of arable land, there is a place for subdivision on less productive land – it is claimed small blocks can have a higher productivity than some pastoral land.  

By planning ahead, and taking advantage of past rules, many of our clients have established multiple adjoining titles. This brings many opportunities to change the shape and size of these titles. Most councils allow some form of boundary adjustment. This provides a huge advantage when you need to raise capital for a purchase, settle an independent family member or dispose of a house on-farm.

I don’t see this trend being reversed in future, short of an uprising by landowners. My advice is to consider your options and plan ahead now. Otherwise, if your circumstances change, and you want a smaller farm or some flexibility with your titles, you’ll be forced to sell up and move. 

If you’re planning your future and wish to clarify any subdivision or boundary adjustment issues, feel free to give me a call. I’m happy to discuss the situation to see if it is worth pursuing.  

Brent Trail, managing director of Surveying Services, specialises in resource consent applications for subdivisions across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty. For more information call 0800 268 632 or email: btrail@surveyingservices.co.nz