Rural land use

This project involved securing Resource Consent for a barn-style building within the Rural Zone with Kaipara Harbour Overlay, designed to accommodate two self-contained family wings and integrated horse stables on a 4.0055ha site accessed via a private rural lane.
 

A key complexity arose from a Notice to Fix relating to staged earthworks undertaken to form the building platform. Through detailed 3D modelling and analysis of historical Google Earth imagery, each stage of the works was reconstructed and measured against the District Plan rules. While the earthworks height required retrospective consent, the final platform was carefully integrated into the natural contours of the site.
 

The proposal addressed overlay objectives including natural character, visual effects, and landscape integration, and included formal Iwi consultation as part of the consenting process. The outcome delivers a carefully integrated rural development that respects the landscape while enabling extended family living and equestrian use.