Development Engineering
Building and land development projects always involve a degree of engineering.
Council's land development engineering team is involved in land development and subdivision projects, from the initial idea and concept right through to the constructed roads, pipes, water connections and street lights being used for the first time. The land development engineering team is primarily responsible for the delivery of assets constructed by others to Council. The team does this by ensuring that all assets meet the requirements of Council's 2009 Development Code.
There can be a lot to consider and significant project costs associated with engineering and infrastructure, so it pays to discuss your project with a development engineer at the start. We strongly encourage discussions early in the process of initiating a land development project.
If you need to make contact with a member of the development engineering team you can call us on 0800 926 732.
If your engineering queries are part of a larger land development project which will require resource consent approval, we offer a pre-application service which can include consideration of engineering matters along with other planning processes and information.
2009 Development Code
Council's 2009 Development Code sets out how to comply when designing, constructing and maintaining engineering works that are required:
- to fulfil conditions imposed by a resource consent, or
- for works that fall within the requirements of the District Plan, which don't require a resource consent but required as a permitted activity performance standard.
- for capital or maintenance works commissioned by Council.
The works apply to urban, rural residential and rural applications. Any alternative means of compliance submitted for approval (i.e. different design methods or philosophy or principles) will be considered on a case by case basis.
More information is available on the 2009 Development Code webpage.
Improvement projects
Council is working toward improvements in significant areas during 2019. This work will include a complete review, change and update to the:
- 2009 Development Code
- Engineering Application Information and Reporting Requirements
- Engineering Processes to promote Clarity, Consistency and High Quality
- Values, Ethics and Expectations Development Engineering Operate Under and Expect From Others
Engineering information for resource consent applications
Council requires details on engineering concept, design and construction to support a resource consent application. The type and extent of information is set out within the District Plan and 2009 Development Code.
The type of information and assessment required as part of a resource consent application is dependent on:
- The type of activity proposed e.g. subdivision, additional dwelling, commercial development;
- The scale and intensity of use proposed;
- The provision and capacity of infrastructure services available;
- The characteristics of the development site e.g. land contour, natural hazards, land use type
Council's Operative District Plan and 2009 Development Code provide guidance on what engineering matters are relevant to your proposal and the information requirements that need to be provided. Please also visit the resource consents making an application page for further guidance on how to prepare your proposal.
Engineering conditions of resource consent
When Council receives a subdivision or land use resource consent application, it is often approved subject to a list of conditions that need to be met.
There are often engineering conditions included requiring information or physical works to be carried out such as:
- Providing design details before starting construction
- Requiring a minimum standard of services and works
- Carrying out physical construction works
- Providing supporting information for Council's records like as-builts and asset schedules
- Requiring engineering reports like geotechnical reports
- Providing legal easements to protect public and private infrastructure
Engineering design approval
Engineering works can be of a scale and nature where design approval is required prior to physical construction starting. Submitting sufficient information in the right format can make this step in the process more efficient.
The following application and checklist forms are included within the Development Code and particularly relevant to the engineering design approval stage:
- Cert 1b Engineering Design Approval Application (PDF, 231KB)
- Cert 1c Financial Asset Register Schedule of Asset Values (EXL 45 KB) (Note: At this stage values will be an estimate only)
If you'd like to submit engineering design approval electronically and you have large files to attach you can submit this information via the online portal. Document naming that includes the applicant name, site address, and Council reference will ensure this information is assigned in a timely manner for further action.
Post-subdivision survey plan approval (S223) and deposit (S224)
Before issuing final Council approval to create new certificates of title (Computer Registers), confirmation that all conditions have been met is required. The application confirming conditions have been met (often referred to as a s224 application) usually includes engineering conditions. Sufficient information and confirmation from a qualified professional should be submitted with the s224 application confirming all work and related information is complete and final.
The following form is particularly relevant to the post subdivision stage:
This document is a comprehensive set of guidelines and checklists for engineering requirements at the time of s224c approval. Depending on the scale and complexity of the subdivision, you may require all of this documentation or may use the relevant sections only to assist in ensuring you have sufficiently addressed the engineering condition requirements of your subdivision.
If you'd like to submit a 224 application with quality assurance documents electronically and you have large files to attach you can submit via the online portal. Document naming that includes the applicant name, site address, and Council reference will ensure this information is assigned in a timely manner for further action.
