Land Development and Urban Design
Land development converts a planning framework into serviced, legal, buildable parcels. Understand the sequence: feasibility and due diligence, scheme plan, subdivision resource consent, engineering design, construction, section 224(c) certification, survey and title issue. The engineering benchmark in most New Zealand territorial authorities is NZS 4404:2010 Land Development and Subdivision Infrastructure, which sets the roading hierarchy (arterial, collector, local, private way), design speeds, pavement, kerb and channel, and the three waters.
Urban design concepts are examinable in their own right: legibility, permeability and connectivity, active frontage, natural surveillance (CPTED), human scale, and lot orientation for solar access. National direction also matters: the NPS-UD and the Medium Density Residential Standards override many older district plan density rules in urban areas, so always check which rule is operative.
Traps
- Gross versus net site area. Minimum lot size is normally net (excludes road, often reserve); density calculations are sometimes on gross.
- Frontage versus width, and a minimum lot size versus a minimum average lot size.
- Esplanade reserves (RMA ss 230-237, typically 20 m) are triggered by subdivision, road or reclamation adjoining the sea, a river or a lake - not by a land use consent alone.
- Financial contributions, development contributions (LGA 2002) and reserve contributions are three different mechanisms.
- A cross-lease is a subdivision; a unit title is not.
Rule of thumb
Net developable area = gross area minus roughly 25-30% roading, 10% reserve and up to 5% stormwater. For a 2.0 ha gross site: 0.50 ha roads, 0.20 ha reserve, 0.10 ha stormwater, leaving 1.20 ha. At a 400 m2 minimum net lot that is 30 lots; a shaping allowance of about 5% for irregular geometry gives around 28 lots.