Lifestyle block owners across the Taupō district are being reminded of their new ability to subdivide, following changes to the District Plan last year.
Previously, strict minimum lot sizes of four hectares and ten hectares prevented further subdivision. Under the new rules, owners of those sized properties can potentially split off one or two additional lots.
Rachel Canning of BTW Company says motivations for subdividing will vary from owner to owner.
"Many people will wish to retain their entire holding as they appreciate the peace and quiet of their rural property, others will hold off subdividing until retirement, others will want to release their new-found equity and either extend their mortgage or subdivide off the lot," she says.
BTW Company survey team leader Carwyn May says professional guidance is essential before committing to a subdivision project.
"With every subdivision there is a certain level of risk, and a good first step is to ask local professionals, surveyors, planners and engineers, to carry out a feasibility study for your particular property," he says.
Adding to that uncertainty is the impending overhaul of the Resource Management Act. The RMA is currently being dismantled and set to be replaced by two new pieces of legislation, the Planning Act 2025 and the Natural Environment Act 2025, both introduced to Parliament just before Christmas and expected to pass into law by mid-2026.
BTW Company has offices in Taupō, Hamilton, Taumarunui, and New Plymouth, and brings more than 50 years of experience in land development and subdivision.
