Unlock the full potential of your property with Birch Land Development Consultants. Our team of seasoned experts has been the driving force behind successful zoning transformations for over three decades.
Zoning dictates the potential of every parcel of land; it shapes communities, fuels business opportunities, and defines our landscape. Whether you're a property developer seeking to venture into new horizons or a land owner ready to tap into your property's unused potential, understanding the importance of strategic zoning is vital.
Birch Land Development Consultants operate at the heart of land development, employing a comprehensive skillset across Land Surveying, Civil Engineering, and Resource Planning. Our presence in key locations like Auckland, Pukekohe, Hamilton, Tairua, and Tauranga is a testament to our adaptability and the trust we've nurtured within local communities.
The task of altering land zoning requires a meticulous approach. While councils handle regional or district zoning, these entities may not promptly address the shifts in land use needs. Private plan changes represent a proactive path forward, championed by visionary landowners and developers.
At Birch, we understand that the private plan change process is a marathon, not a sprint. It involves detailed dialogue with councils, stakeholders, and community entities. Our services shine in the complexity of this intricate process, offering unrivalled guidance through environmental assessments, cultural evaluations, management of public services, and traffic impact analysis.
The zoning of land is determined by a Regional or District Plan, and the zoning determines how land within the zone can be used. For example, a Residential zone is primarily used for housing, although there may be a number of compatible uses which are also provided for in a Residential zone. eg Childcare centres and schools.
By contrast, a Rural Zone is primarily used for the production of food and the farming of animals and horticulture are generally permitted activities (read about activity categories)
Over time, particular zonings can become inappropriate for the uses that landowners or Council wish to make of the land. And although a Consent can be applied for to address a particular proposed use, often a change in zoning is a more appropriate and long-term solution to the issue.
Although Councils can undertake a plan change with new proposed zonings (read about council-initiated plan changes), there are times when landowners or developers wish to initiate these changes in zones themselves. This may be because the changes have been signalled by Council but are not high on Council's workplan and they wish to expedite the process, or because the proposed use is not something previously considered by Council.
The Private plan change process is not a quick process and requires considerable consultation with Council, adjacent landowners, infrastructural organisations, and community organisations. It can also involve investigations and reports into environmental issues, cultural issues, stormwater management, public services, and traffic effects, amongst others. This process can be time and cost-exhausting.
Birch has been involved in and is continuing to be a party to many private plan changes, often representing a consortium of landowners who are all affected by the plan change. We are very proud of the very positive outcomes we have achieved with private plan changes over recent years, and the positive results they have achieved for the landowners and the communities they are part of. It is through our expertise in preparing the necessary planning documents, facilitating the preparation and auditing of third-party reports, negotiating our way through the complexities of a private plan change, and undertaking appropriate consultation that these positive results have been achieved.
Private plan changes can pave the way for tremendous gains under the right circumstances. This approach isn't simply about altering land use; it's about realising a vision for growth and progress. Our senior planning staff are at the helm, ready to discuss and explore the best route toward achieving your development goals.
For property developers, land owners, or local government bodies aiming to revisit the zoning potential of your holdings, Birch stands as your ideal partner. We promise not only to chart a course through the technicalities of private plan changes but also to illuminate the path towards a thriving, reimagined property landscape.
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