Subdivisions
Subdividing your property can be a long, expensive, and confusing process if done wrong, but it doesn’t have to be. Whether you’re new to land development or have been in the game for a long time, we can shine a light on your next project to ensure it meets its potential.
Our expert feasibility and planning advice lets you move forward with certainty, making the best use of your property and resources and helping you avoid common issues with consents and planning. Our team can guide you through the whole process, so nothing gets overlooked.
Work with us at any stage. But make it smoother by getting us in from start to finish.
Things to consider when subdividing
Why are you subdividing?
Are you subdividing land only to sell, or to construct a new building on the subdivided land to sell or retain as an investment? Depending on your intentions, you may require additional land use, regional, or discharge resource consents or building consents before you can start your building work.
What title will your subdivision need?
There are three common types of titles:
- Fee simple or freehold is the most common title and often the most desirable form of subdivision.
- A unit title gives individual titles to units over an existing piece of land. This type of subdivision is common in multilevel buildings.
- Cross-lease was a common option as it provided a loophole around historic subdivision rules, however, this type of subdivision is less sought-after today. A lease is created over each unit, which is called a "flat". Each flat owner has shared ownership of the property. These days, it is common for cross-lease titles to be subdivided around the flats to create fee simple/freehold sites.
Whatever type you choose will greatly impact your planning and consent process.
Get an idea of overall costs
The subdivision of one property into two or more lots can vary significantly in cost due to a range of factors including location, site contours, access, and the need to provide new or upgrade existing infrastructure. A ballpark estimate for the average two-lot residential subdivision is around $120,000-$150,000. These costs will likely include:
- Consent processing costs
- Development contribution fees and infrastructure growth charges
- Infrastructure connections
- Driveways and access
- Professional fees
- Land Information New Zealand fees
This number can change quite a bit depending on the details of your subdivision plans. To save time and money, it can be useful to bundle consents into a single application. Talk to us for more on this process.
Engage a Planner
Working with a planner will provide valuable expertise throughout the process. Planners can help with:
- Organising a subdivision scheme plan
- Assessing relevant Unitary Plan / District Plan Standards and relevant interests on the Record of Title
- Ensuring you have a feasible plan in place for the timeframes necessary to complete certain works
- Providing a breakdown of all subdivision costs associated with subdividing your site from the design, consent and development stages through to the issuing of new titles
Our expert planners can help with every step of the process from feasibility assessments and resource consent applications through to planning for condition fulfilment.
Grab our guide to Land Use & Subdivision Resource Consents
It covers all the essential information you need to know before starting your subdivision journey.
Big opportunities in Army Bay
With a 1181 square metre site containing only an old bach, it was time to unlock the site’s true development potential. With our specialist understanding of consenting in Whangaparāoa, we helped obtain resource consent for two new homes, two minor units and a two-lot freehold subdivision around the approved land use.
