Conservation covenants
Certain rateable land within the district may be protected for outstanding landscape, cultural, heritage or ecological purposes. In the Rating Relief Policies 2018 Council has included a policy on rates relief for land protected in this manner.
Conservation covenants can protect areas such as:
- Historical sites, areas of significant European / Māori interactions, or historical buildings.
- Cultural sites of significance to Māori, for example, pa sites or waahi tapu.
- Ecological habitats, such as forested habitats supporting regionally important or threatened species or wetland areas.
- Outstanding landscapes with high coastal amenity, significant vegetation patterns, or sensitive areas that would be threatened by development.
How to apply
1. Apply
Landowner completes and returns a Request Form with a recent certificate of title.
2. Initial assessment
District Plan staff arrange a specialist to carry out an initial assessment of the property.
3. Site visit and assessment report
The specialist arranges a site visit with the landowner and writes a report identifying the historical, cultural, ecological or landscape values on the property and recommends whether these values justify formal protection.
4. Covenant agreement
If the report recommends formal protection, District Plan staff provide a draft covenant to the landowner.
We recommend the landowner gets legal advice on the terms of the covenant.
5. Final covenant signed
Landowner returns signed copies of the covenant agreement to District Plan staff, the agreement is signed by Council and one of the signed copies is returned to the landowner.
6. Application for rates relief
Landowner completes an application for rating relief.
7. Covenant registered on property title
Council arranges for the registration of the covenant on certificate of title but this cost is for the landowner.