Designation

A designation is a tool under the Resource Management Act 1991 that allows a requiring authority — such as a council, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), or a network utility operator — to reserve land for a specific public purpose. Common designations include future roads, schools, parks, wastewater infrastructure, and electricity transmission corridors.

When land is designated, the requiring authority gains the right to carry out the designated work on that land, and the landowner cannot do anything on the land that would prevent or hinder the designated purpose without the requiring authority's written consent.

Designations are shown on the district plan maps and referenced in the LIM report. They can affect all or part of a property. In some cases, the designation may be for future work that has no set timeline — meaning land can sit under a designation for years or even decades.

If a designation affects your property, you have the right to ask the requiring authority to acquire your land (known as a 'reverse compulsory acquisition'). However, this is typically only exercised when the designation substantially affects the use of the property.

Designations can have a major impact on property values and what you can do with the land. A designation for a future motorway across your backyard, for example, could prevent you from building and make the property very difficult to sell.

Always check the LIM report and district plan maps for designations. If a designation exists, find out the purpose, the requiring authority, and whether there are any plans to give effect to it. Your lawyer should review any designation carefully.

Designations are shown on the district plan planning maps (available online from your council) and listed in the LIM report. You can contact the requiring authority directly to find out the status and timeline for the designated work.

Your lawyer should identify any designations as part of their title and LIM review.