Resource Management, Planning and Land Use Controls
Resource Management, Planning and Land Use Controls tests how planning rules affect value. You must read district plans, identify activity status and separate existing use rights from aspirational zoning.
Plan analysis
Check the zone, objectives and policies, activity status, site coverage, height, setback, subdivision, parking and natural hazard overlays. A permitted activity is not automatically valuable; a restricted discretionary activity may be achievable but uncertain. Designations, heritage listings, protected trees and consent notices can constrain use.
Worked example
A 1,000 m² site is zoned residential with a proposed plan change to medium density. Current rules allow one dwelling; the proposed rules would allow four units. You value the site on its existing permitted use plus a modest probability-weighted premium for the plan change, not on the fully enabled four-unit scenario. If the plan change is not operative and faces appeals, the premium should be small and clearly explained.
Statutory framework
The Resource Management Act 1991 governs plans and consents. National policy statements, national environmental standards and the Medium Density Residential Standards can override or shape local rules. The NPS-UD requires urban environments to enable greater supply.
Traps
- Assuming a plan change will be approved.
- Ignoring consent conditions and lapse periods.
- Confusing existing use rights with permitted activity status.
- Missing a designation or heritage overlay.
- Valuing on the highest theoretical density without feasibility.