Articles

Waipa Further Subdivision (November 2012)

Farmers against subdivision controls in Waipa

There have been many submissions to the proposed subdivision rules and you may have a chance to support them if you are quick.

The first round of submissions to their Proposed District Plan have now been summarised by Waipa District Council. These can be found on their web site and you have until 7th November to submit in favour or against any of these if you have an interest and want to be involved. This is perhaps the only time in the next ten years that you can influence this document so, if you own land or have an interest in the economic development of the District, you should carefully consider the proposed changes.

The proposed changes are very significant from a subdivision point of view and could severely impact the economy of the District and availability of land, according to the submissions from the Federated Farmers.  Their submission states that people “that do not require a minimum of 40ha lot to be an economic unit will either be forced to purchase land that they do not require or not establish in the District ”

They have supported many of the Plan's provisions, however opposed many rules that make farming uncertain, restrictive and expensive in terms of compliance – such as the need for a discretionary resource consent to build a worker’s dwelling and the apparent inability to create small blocks for the equine industry. 

At present rural subdivision can be approved if the average lot size is over 25ha.  Boundary relocations can be done to reduce existing larger lots down to a minimum of 2500m², leaving a larger (over 50ha) farming lot.  Surplus houses can be subdivided off the farm to provide capital or simply escape the liability of renting out the old house.  Retirement and rejuvenation of the rural community is catered for by the provision of 'long association holding' provisions. These enable someone who has lived on the land for over 15 years to subdivide a small retirement block either with or without a house on it.

This is all set to change dramatically if these proposed rules are ratified by Council.  The new rules are complex and they generally don't allow any subdivision below 40ha in size on good quality farmland.  The surplus house rule is destined to disappear, as is the long association rule.

Over the next short while you can still make an application for subdivision under the existing rules. So, now is the time for landowners in any rural area, not just Waipa, to move on their plans.  If you have any such plans, I am happy to discuss the situation so don't hesitate to give me a call.  

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