Apply for an easement through a reserve

Step 1.Prepare your supporting information

You will need to provide the following information to support your application:

• a plan showing the location of proposed easement
• information about the intended purpose of the easement
• an explanation of why the easement needs to be over Council land
• A certificate of title for the property you are wanting to connect infrastructure to.

Step 2.Complete application

Download the application, print and complete it by hand.

Application for easement over reserve land(PDF, 211KB)

Step 3.Email us

Email your completed application form and supporting documents to:

Email:  mailroom@wdc.govt.nz

Step 4.Process your application

We will check your application is complete and let you know if we need more information. Then we will prepare a report, checking it meets the requirements of the Reserves Act 1977.

Most applications are considered for approval by a formal Council resolution at a meeting.

Sometimes the public may need to be notified of your application.

Your application will either be approved or declined and may be subject to conditions.

In most cases this process will take up to six months. Where your application is more complex, it may take longer. We will let you know the likely timeframes as part of the application process.

Step 5.Pay costs

You will be charged all actual and reasonable costs of processing your application, including any legal fees. In some cases, you may need to pay a one-off compensation for the use of a public asset.

We will contact you about the payable fees and you can pay either online, in-person at one of our Customer Service centres or by phone.

Pay an application fee or invoice

Step 6.Prepare easement plan

Once your easement application is approved, you will need to engage a registered surveyor to prepare an easement plan. 

Step 7.Submit easement plan for approval

Your easement plan must be submitted to us for approval prior to registration. If the easement is part of a subdivision consent this approval will occur as part of the Section 223 process.

Section 223 - Progressing your subdivision

Step 8.Registration of easements

Once we have approved the easement plan, your solicitor will need to register the easements with Land Information New Zealand.

Where the easements are not associated with subdivision, registration of the easements can occur as soon as your easement plan is approved by us.

If the easement is part of a subdivision consent, registration of the easements will occur as part of the Section 223 process.

Section 223 - Progressing your subdivision

Easements over reserve vest as part of a subdivision

If your easement is over land that is being vest as a reserve as part of your subdivision, the registered easements will need to comply with any specific conditions of that subdivision.

Step 9.Complete physical works

Once the easement has been registered you can start the work for your infrastructure connection.

Before starting you will need to let us know that you wish to access the easement area, and the expected time period for the works to be completed.   

Email: mailroom@wdc.govt.nz

All physical works must be carried out in accordance with the conditions of your easement approval, and in the case of an easement associated with a subdivision, in accordance with the conditions of your subdivision consent also.

Works associated with a subdivision will generally be approved under the Section 224 process.

Section 224 - Progressing your subdivision

Approval of an easement does not in any way limit the need to obtain other approvals or consents for the physical works.

The physical works must: 

• comply with our Environmental Engineering Standards and the Building Act
• be approved by the appropriate Council Department. This may be by way of an application to connect to infrastructure (Public Utility application), a building consent and / or a resource consent.  

Step 10.Reinstate the land

At the completion of the physical works, you will be required to reinstate the land as you found it. This may include reinstating any gates, fences, planting or pathways.

You may also be asked to supply a bond to cover the reinstatement.

Step 1.Prepare your supporting information

You will need to provide the following information to support your application:

• a plan showing the location of proposed easement
• information about the intended purpose of the easement
• an explanation of why the easement needs to be over Council land
• A certificate of title for the property you are wanting to connect infrastructure to.

Step 2.Complete application

Download the application, print and complete it by hand.

Application for easement over reserve land(PDF, 211KB)

Step 3.Bring into us

Bring your completed application form and supporting documents into one of our Customer Service centres:

Te Iwitahi
9 Rust Avenue, Whangārei
Hours:  Monday to Friday – 8:00am to 4:30pm
Closed public holidays
Summer holiday closedown: Closed from 4:00pm on Tuesday 24 December 2024 and reopening at 8:00am on Monday 6 January 2025

Ruakākā service centre 
9 Takutai Place, Ruakākā
Hours:  Monday to Friday – 8:30am to 4:00pm
Closed public holidays
Summer holiday closedown: Closed from 4:00pm on Tuesday 24 December 2024 and reopening at 8:30am on Monday 6 January 2025

Service centre at isite
92 Otaika Road, Raumanga
Hours: Monday to Friday – 9:00am to 12:00pm and 12:30pm to 4:30pm
Closed public holidays

Step 4.Process your application

We will check your application is complete and let you know if we need more information. Then we will prepare a report, checking it meets the requirements of the Reserves Act 1977.

Most applications are considered for approval by a formal Council resolution at a meeting.

Sometimes the public may need to be notified of your application.

Your application will either be approved or declined and may be subject to conditions.

In most cases this process will take up to six months. Where your application is more complex, it may take longer. We will let you know the likely timeframes as part of the application process.

Step 5.Pay costs

You will be charged all actual and reasonable costs of processing your application, including any legal fees. In some cases, you may need to pay a one-off compensation for the use of a public asset.

We will contact you about the payable fees and you can pay either online, in-person at one of our Customer Service centres or by phone.

Pay an application fee or invoice

Step 6.Prepare easement plan

Once your easement application is approved, you will need to engage a registered surveyor to prepare an easement plan. 

Step 7.Submit easement plan for approval

Your easement plan must be submitted to us for approval prior to registration. If the easement is part of a subdivision consent this approval will occur as part of the Section 223 process.

Section 223 - Progressing your subdivision

Step 8.Registration of easements

Once we have approved the easement plan, your solicitor will need to register the easements with Land Information New Zealand.

Where the easements are not associated with subdivision, registration of the easements can occur as soon as your easement plan is approved by us.

If the easement is part of a subdivision consent, registration of the easements will occur as part of the Section 223 process.

Section 223 - Progressing your subdivision

Easements over reserve vest as part of a subdivision

If your easement is over land that is being vest as a reserve as part of your subdivision, the registered easements will need to comply with any specific conditions of that subdivision.

Step 9.Complete physical works

Once the easement has been registered you can start the work for your infrastructure connection.

Before starting you will need to let us know that you wish to access the easement area, and the expected time period for the works to be completed.   

Email: mailroom@wdc.govt.nz

All physical works must be carried out in accordance with the conditions of your easement approval, and in the case of an easement associated with a subdivision, in accordance with the conditions of your subdivision consent also.

Works associated with a subdivision will generally be approved under the Section 224 process.

Section 224 - Progressing your subdivision

Approval of an easement does not in any way limit the need to obtain other approvals or consents for the physical works.

The physical works must: 

• comply with our Environmental Engineering Standards and the Building Act
• be approved by the appropriate Council Department. This may be by way of an application to connect to infrastructure (Public Utility application), a building consent and / or a resource consent.  

Step 10.Reinstate the land

At the completion of the physical works, you will be required to reinstate the land as you found it. This may include reinstating any gates, fences, planting or pathways.

You may also be asked to supply a bond to cover the reinstatement.

Step 1.Prepare your supporting information

You will need to provide the following information to support your application:

• a plan showing the location of proposed easement
• information about the intended purpose of the easement
• an explanation of why the easement needs to be over Council land
• A certificate of title for the property you are wanting to connect infrastructure to.

Step 2.Complete application

Download the application, print and complete it by hand.

Application for easement over reserve land(PDF, 211KB)

Step 3.Post to us

Post your completed application form and supporting documents to:

Whangarei District Council 
Private Bag 9023
Te Mai
Whangārei 0143

Step 4.Process your application

We will check your application is complete and let you know if we need more information. Then we will prepare a report, checking it meets the requirements of the Reserves Act 1977.

Most applications are considered for approval by a formal Council resolution at a meeting.

Sometimes the public may need to be notified of your application.

Your application will either be approved or declined and may be subject to conditions.

In most cases this process will take up to six months. Where your application is more complex, it may take longer. We will let you know the likely timeframes as part of the application process.

Step 5.Pay costs

You will be charged all actual and reasonable costs of processing your application, including any legal fees. In some cases, you may need to pay a one-off compensation for the use of a public asset.

We will contact you about the payable fees and you can pay either online, in-person at one of our Customer Service centres or by phone.

Pay an application fee or invoice

Step 6.Prepare easement plan

Once your easement application is approved, you will need to engage a registered surveyor to prepare an easement plan. 

Step 7.Submit easement plan for approval

Your easement plan must be submitted to us for approval prior to registration. If the easement is part of a subdivision consent this approval will occur as part of the Section 223 process.

Section 223 - Progressing your subdivision

Step 8.Registration of easements

Once we have approved the easement plan, your solicitor will need to register the easements with Land Information New Zealand.

Where the easements are not associated with subdivision, registration of the easements can occur as soon as your easement plan is approved by us.

If the easement is part of a subdivision consent, registration of the easements will occur as part of the Section 223 process.

Section 223 - Progressing your subdivision

Easements over reserve vest as part of a subdivision

If your easement is over land that is being vest as a reserve as part of your subdivision, the registered easements will need to comply with any specific conditions of that subdivision.

Step 9.Complete physical works

Once the easement has been registered you can start the work for your infrastructure connection.

Before starting you will need to let us know that you wish to access the easement area, and the expected time period for the works to be completed.   

Email: mailroom@wdc.govt.nz

All physical works must be carried out in accordance with the conditions of your easement approval, and in the case of an easement associated with a subdivision, in accordance with the conditions of your subdivision consent also.

Works associated with a subdivision will generally be approved under the Section 224 process.

Section 224 - Progressing your subdivision

Approval of an easement does not in any way limit the need to obtain other approvals or consents for the physical works.

The physical works must: 

• comply with our Environmental Engineering Standards and the Building Act
• be approved by the appropriate Council Department. This may be by way of an application to connect to infrastructure (Public Utility application), a building consent and / or a resource consent.  

Step 10.Reinstate the land

At the completion of the physical works, you will be required to reinstate the land as you found it. This may include reinstating any gates, fences, planting or pathways.

You may also be asked to supply a bond to cover the reinstatement.