Landform and Geotechnical Requirements
Geology and Topography
The Western Bay of Plenty District encompasses a wide range of landscapes and terrain, from the Kaimai Ranges to the mid-level terraces and flood plains near Te Puke and Te Puna, and the ocean coast and Tauranga Harbour. These landforms are defined by the geology beneath them; volcanic rocks, ocean dunes, sedimentary soils, peats, and multiple phases of volcanic ash and debris flows from the Rotorua volcanic centre.
Our district’s geological history means it is subject to numerous natural hazards. The identification, analysis and appropriate management of these hazards is key to any successful land development project.
Natural Hazards Resources
The Council's MAPI GIS web viewer provides maps of known natural hazards within the district. These include flooding and overland flow paths, coastal inundation and erosion, seismic liquefaction and slope instability. These maps are intended to notify landowners, developers and planners of sites which require specialist engineering input under our District Plan and Development Code. It should be noted that the mapped information is not complete – many sites will be affected by hazards which are not shown on the GIS.
Accredited Geo-Professionals
Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Tauranga City Council require geotechnical engineers and engineering geologists working on complex sites to be locally accredited, as well as being registered with the national engineering body (Engineering NZ). Geo-Professionals are divided into three tiers or ‘Categories’, as described in Section 10A.3 of DS10 - Natural Hazards and Earthworks.
Geotechnical reports for sites on high-risk landforms such as steep and unstable slopes, liquefiable ground and/or soft or settlement-prone soils must be either written or reviewed and approved by a Category 1 Geo-Professional.
To view the register of accredited geo-professionals, download the list using the link provided below.
List of Accredited Geo-Professionals
The application form for chartered geotechnical engineers (CPEng: Geotechnical) and chartered engineering geologists (PEngGeol) who wish to become accredited can be found linked below.
Application for Geo-Professional Accreditation
Email the completed application form to idc@tauranga.govt.nz. Applications are assessed once a year by an independent panel.
If you have any questions regarding the accredited geo-professional process, please contact the IDC team at Tauranga City Council.
