DIY
– doing it yourself
There are some things you can do yourself, if you have the time
Most councils provide an excellent free customer service. If you have the right information and ask the right questions, they can provide you with most of the information you need.
What you will need:
- the address of the property
- addresses of any other properties that you would like to check
- your list of questions
- a copy of the cadastral (legal boundary) plans and an aerial photo of the property (these can be useful and you can get them at a small cost from your council)
- the size of the site in square metres, and, if possible, the size of any buildings in square metres as well.
The big questions to ask
- What is the site zoned for? What are adjoining or nearby properties zoned for? Are they zoned differently (therefore allowing for different activities)?
- What activities are allowed ”as of right” in this zone?
- What activities are controlled, but generally don’t need your neighbours’ consents, or are relatively straight forward to get permission for?
- What kinds of activities are more difficult to get permission for?
Ask specific questions about the site
- How easy/hard is it to get permission to build multi-unit housing or retirement homes (either on the property or in the neighbourhood)?
- Will my privacy remain or can my neighbour build something that will affect it?
- Can the neighbour build a two-storey house in front of my property and block the view? What can be built without my permission?
- How easy will it be to build an extension or a garage?
Other questions to ask
- Can the trees on the property next door be cut down? (You may need to know the size and type of tree.)
- Is there any other information on the district plans that may affect the property, such as hazard zones, motorway designations, etc?
- Where are the services on the property? (In some circumstances this may affect where you can build, or add extra building costs.)
- If the site has a shared driveway, what type is it legally (ie right of way), and what are your use rights and maintenance responsibilities?
