Building in Acacia Park

Having a house built can be a very exciting experience. You can get exactly what you want; from layout to colours. And with the current high prices of homes; it can even be a money saving process. But before you can build, you will need to purchase a section of land.

Always choose your section carefully. A northern facing exposure will give you more sun and warmth in the winter time; so take a compass with you. The ideal section will be flat and square with good road access and wonderful views. Easy road traffic loads and appreciating property values are also important factors.

Most sections at Acacia Park will have a northern exposure because the park is on the north facing slope of the hill. And being on a hill, most Acacia Park sections will have some degree of slope. The advantages of a gentle slope are good views and minimal risk of flooding.

Be aware that all of Acacia Park is on stability sensitive land. This does not necessarily mean that the land is unstable; but rather that the section will need to be examined by an engineer before a building consent is issued from the council.

The council will require a Geotechnical Site Report from a registered engineering firm before it will issue a building consent. Therefore it is prudent to place a contingency in your offer to the vendor that specifies that "This sale is contingent upon a satisfactory geotechnical report."

Here is more information about stability sensitive land from the council. Please contact the council for up-to-date information and an engineer to advise you further.

5.2 STABILITY SENSITIVE LAND

The Planning Data maps indicate areas where special attention to factors affecting the stability of the land is required in respect of any future development, including felling trees or contouring the land. Some areas are merely sloping ground requiring special care with such things as stormwater disposal, but also included may be areas subject to actual, suspected or potential slope instability. The areas are included in this classification in terms of the geological and other investigations that have been carried out to date. Therefore there may be areas where the classification is found on further investigation to be unnecessary, or there may be areas not classified where special care should be taken.

In general the onus will be on the landowner or developer to satisfy the Council that the site is suitable for the proposal, or that the structure is of a suitable design in the circumstances. A report from a Registered Engineer will be required where the General manager requires certification of the suitability of the site or design, before the work can proceed. For areas outside those classified, engineering reports or certifications may be required where a reasonable doubt as to stability factors is indicated on advice from the General Manager or the Northland Regional Council. whether land is classified or not, the council has the power to refuse to issue a building permit pursuant to section 641 of the Local Government Act 1974.

Objective

To ensure that danger, damage or nuisance due to erosion, subsidence or landslip is avoided or minimised.

Policies

1. That professional engineering advice be required in connection with any application to Council to carry out any work within an area indicated on the Planning Data Maps as stability sensitive, unless Council has by resolution made special exemption for any particular area or type of work.

2. That the General Manager exercise discretionary power to require professional engineering advice in connection with any work in areas outside those classified as stability sensitive where there is a reasonable doubt as to stability factors or where he is of the opinion that the work proposed would accelerate, worsen or result in erosion or subsidence or slipping of the subject site or land in the vicinity.

Ordinance 5.2: Obligations in Respect of Land Shown as Stability Sensitive

Any application to Council for a permit or approval for any work in any area which is shown as "stability sensitive" on the Planning Data maps shall be supported by a report or certificate from a Registered Engineer which indicates that the site is suitable for the work or structure and/or that the structure is of an appropriate design in the circumstances.