Far North District Council — Property Due Diligence Guide

Contact Far North District Council directly to order a LIM. Standard processing takes 10 working days, with an urgent option available for faster turnaround.

Far North LIMs include information about building consents, resource consents, rates, zoning under the District Plan, flood risk, coastal hazards, and contaminated land. Given the district's rural character, wastewater and water supply information is particularly important — many properties rely on septic tanks and private water supplies.

Buyers should note that the Far North has extensive areas of Maori land and Treaty settlement land. If you are purchasing near or adjacent to Maori land, check the LIM carefully for any access or boundary considerations. The district also has significant heritage sites, particularly around the Bay of Islands.

The Far North District Plan includes these key zones:

• General Residential: Standard residential areas in towns like Kerikeri, Kaikohe, and Kaitaia
• Rural Production: The dominant zone, covering farmland, horticulture, and forestry
• Rural Living: Lifestyle blocks and low-density rural residential
• Coastal Living: Residential areas near the coast
• Town Centre: Commercial centres of the district's main towns

The District Plan is undergoing a rolling review. Kerikeri has seen significant growth pressure, and plan changes are enabling more residential development in this area.

The Far North faces several natural hazard risks:

• Coastal erosion and inundation: Extensive coastline with many properties exposed to coastal hazards. Climate change projections increase long-term risk.
• Flooding: River systems including the Hokianga Harbour, Kerikeri River, and Kaitaia's Awanui River have known flood risk areas.
• Subtropical storms: The Far North is more exposed to ex-tropical cyclones than southern regions, bringing heavy rainfall and wind.
• Tsunami: Coastal areas face tsunami risk, particularly on the east coast.
• Land instability: Hilly terrain in some areas creates slip risk, particularly in areas with clay soils.

Building consent is processed by Far North District Council's building team. Standard processing time targets 20 working days, though this can be longer for complex applications in this large, remote district.

Many Far North properties rely on on-site wastewater systems and private water supplies. Building consent for new dwellings will require an approved wastewater design, and council inspections may involve longer travel times in remote areas.