Whangarei District Council — Property Due Diligence Guide

You can order a Whangarei District Council LIM online through their website. Standard processing takes 10 working days, with an urgent option available for faster turnaround.

Whangarei LIMs include building consents, resource consents, rates, zoning, flood risk (particularly relevant near the Hatea River and harbour), coastal hazards, contaminated land, and stormwater information.

The Whangarei District Plan has undergone significant updates in recent years, particularly around urban growth areas. Buyers should check whether their property is affected by any plan changes that may alter development potential or restrictions.

Whangarei's District Plan includes key zones:

• Residential: Low, Medium, and High Density residential zones within the urban area
• Living 1, 2, 3: Varying residential densities in established suburbs
• Rural Village: Small settlement zones like Hikurangi and Maungatapere
• Rural Production: Farming and rural land
• Marsden Point/Ruakaka: Special growth area with port-related development

Whangarei has been enabling more medium-density housing in its urban area to meet growing demand, particularly around the city centre and town basin.

Whangarei's natural hazards include:

• Flooding: Significant risk around the Hatea River, harbour margins, and low-lying coastal areas. Whangarei has experienced several major flood events.
• Coastal erosion: Relevant for properties along the Whangarei Heads, Tutukaka Coast, and Ruakaka.
• Land instability: Hilly terrain around the harbour and surrounding ridgelines can be prone to slips.
• Subtropical storms: Northland's exposure to ex-tropical cyclones brings heavy rain and flooding risk.
• Tsunami: East coast and harbour-adjacent areas face some tsunami risk.

Building consent is processed by Whangarei District Council with a standard target of 20 working days. The council offers pre-application advice for complex projects.

Whangarei's growing population has increased consent volumes, particularly for new subdivisions in the Marsden Point/Ruakaka area and medium-density infill development in the urban area. The council has invested in digital consent processing.