Subdivide

Feasibility

feasabilityDuring our initial phone conversations, by using the information freely available in the public domain, and our industry experience, we will briefly assess your property and plans and offer you our verbal suggestions.

We don’t charge for this assessment time.

Planning & Design

planningIf your project looks possible, and you would like us to do so, we can meet you at your property and spend time getting to know you and finding out what you are hoping to achieve.

At this meeting we will give you a better understanding of your possible costs and ask you if you would like to get your project started.

Once we have a contract together, we will co-ordinate all the relevant specialists and trades and get started on your project. E.g. Surveyor, CCTV, Drainage Engineers, Geo-tech Engineer, and the Architect to name a few of the main ones… This can take about 1-3 mths. The time lines are very subject to what needs to be completed and who we need to involve in the process.

Contributions, Levies & Fees

fees
Unfortunately, the subdivision process isn't complete without paying the council their Fees, Levies and Contributions. These come in various categories… such as:-

  • Resource Consent Fees
  • Watercare Infrastructure Growth Charges
  • Council Development Contributions
  • Inspection / Compliance Fees

They will issue them to us as the project progresses. The total cost of this will vary for each subdivision project as it will be based on how many new lots you create, what services you need from the council and what you ultimately do with your sites. We can provide you with a cost estimate once we have completed the preliminary consenting stages and have some plans to work from.

Civil Works

civilworksUsing the plans & reports from your Consent process, we will gather quotes from all necessary contractors to carry out the civil work that the consent approval requires.

The civil works can include everything from new drains and manholes, to new driveways and the demolition of existing buildings on site.

Also, large scale excavation of sloping sites and / or the construction of retaining walls etc.

This can take as little as a few weeks or be a few months’ work.

The time lines are very subject to what needs to be completed and who we need to involve in the process.

Sign Off

signoffWhen all of the necessary Planning Consenting and Civil works are complete, we can then apply for your new Compliance Certificates and present you with your newly created properties.

Obviously, there is a lot of work that we will do for you behind the scenes, but we try to keep things simple for you and involve you as much or as little as you want us to.

The expected time frame for your titles to come through after all the other stages have been completed is about 1-2 months. Whilst it is in the hands of the lawyers, the council and government departments, it's simply a waiting game…At about this point in time we are basically done.

Once you have paid all necessary Council Fees and Contributions, you are clear to sell them off or proceed with building any new homes or projects on your new Lots.

Frequently asked questions

What is a subdivision?

A subdivision is the process whereby a piece of land is cut up into smaller pieces (Lots) and given newtitles.

What is a Cross-Lease?

This is another type of subdividing but not as common today as it was years ago. The land is jointly owned by each party named on the title. The process and cost is basically the same as subdivision but doesn’t give the freehold outcome.

How much land do I need to subdivide?

The land use laws do have minimum sizes, designated by council, that you must meet when creating new titles, however, it varies greatly as it is subject to the project location,final intended use, proposed amount of new titles you wish to create and the governing rules in place at the time you undertake you project.

Can my neighbours stop me?

In a worst case situation… Yes, they can stop you!
However, in most instances, we do try design new subdivisions to meet all the planning requirements so we don’t need to ask any neighbours for their permission. Each project is different and so based on what you wish to achieve and where your project is located. It is always good practice to have the neighbours onside with you on your project where ever possible. The council have special documents that you can use to formalise any agreements you may make with your neighbours.

How long does a subdivision take?

This will depend on what you wish to achieve. The normal time frame for a 1-5 lot subdivision is usually anywhere from 6-9mths plus the build times for the civil and housing works.

How much will a subdivision cost?

Every project is unique and so the pricing will vary. After talking with you and doing a small amount of research for you, normally we can give you a reasonable estimate of your costs before you go too far. The costs will vary greatly from a section with all the services readily available compared to one where lots of new infrastructure is needed to make the subdivision possible.

What if my site doesn’t have all the necessary public connections?

Generally, it is not a deal breaker but something that we address during our first discussion with you. A new subdivision must have its own public connections and sometimes, in order to achieve this, there can be considerable extra cost. Wherever possible, we can inform you of this very early on in our investigations.

What can I do if I have unwanted trees on my property?

Not all trees can be cut down, however, due to recent law changes by our government, local councils now
have to let you cut down unnecessary trees as long as they are not protected or listed as special.
For more specific detail to these and any other questions you may have about property development, please email us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.