Glossary of surveying terms

Where a “subdivision consent” is granted subject to a condition that is to be complied with on a continuing basis (i.e. a minimum floor level for a new house), the territorial authority will issue a “consent notice” specifying the continuing condition.

The approval by council of a survey plan that subdivides any land. This certificate is required for new certificates of title to be created

A certificate from council that indicates that all or some of the conditions imposed under the “subdivision consent” have been complied with.

Is an imperial measure of area and is equal to 0.404686ha or 4047m2.

Is the process of combining two or more parcels of land under one certificate of title.

Is a survey that verifies the work completed meets the specification of a particular project, and to give a record of the position of underground services.

A restriction imposed on a site to ensure that when new buildings are erected or existing buildings relocated, altered or substantially rebuilt no part of any such building shall stand within the area specified.

The Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry has set up a programme called Permanent Forest Sink Initiative (PFSI) that promotes the establishment of permanent forests on land that was previously unforested. The growth of these new trees gives the owner the ability to accumulate carbon credits which are based on the carbon being stored in the growing trees. This process then allows the owner to generate income through the sale of these carbon credits to industries that wish to offset their carbon footprint.

Is an instrument registered against a certificate of title which prevents certain actions taking place within the title. A caveat will stop any dealing on a certificate of title including registration of transfers, mortgages, easements and variations of any other instrument on a title. A caveat will not stop registration of another caveat nor will it permit a caveator to exercise the power of sale.

Is a register of all the freehold titles in New Zealand. It is the register that identifies the owner of a particular parcel.

A consent notice is registered against land titles to advise future purchasers of particular features, restrictions and conditions that have been placed on the use of the land.

Is an activity described in a District or Regional Plan that council have specified certain matters over which they have reserved control. This means when applying for a “resource consent” for a controlled activity the council must grant the consent and, the conditions (if any) applied must be restricted to these control matters.

A cross-lease is a means of obtaining a title for a share in the ownership of a piece of land and a lease of a dwelling on that land. The joint owners effectively lease the buildings to one another. Each owner holds a “composite” certificate of title which records the land-share plus the lease. The lease is for a period of 999 years and the share corresponds to the number of dwelling units. The cross-lease plan shows the dwellings as “flats” and is often called a “Flats Plan”. The use of outdoor spaces is often defined by covenant (agreement) areas which are also outlined on the plan.

The land which enjoys a right (specified in an easement) over another piece of land is said to be the “dominant tenement.”

An easement is a right for a landowner to use land, usually adjoining, owned by someone else, i.e. A right of way, right to drain sewage.

An easement is a right for a landowner to use land, usually adjoining, owned by someone else, i.e. A right of way, right to drain sewage.

An easement in gross is an easement that, unlike a normal easement, does not attach to any dominant tenement; examples are the right of public utilities, such as power, gas, phone, water and sewerage, to use part of the land.

Is the method by which cadastral surveys can be prepared and submitted to Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) via the internet. E-Survey became compulsory as of the 1st of September 2007.

Referred to on your title as an “estate in fee simple”. In brief terms this means you have the highest form of ownership of property in the NZ legal system.

Means to own the “freehold” interest in a parcel / section of land.

The “Global Positioning System” (GPS) is a “constellation” of satellites that orbit the Earth and make it possible for people with ground receivers to pinpoint their geographic location.

Is a metric measure of area and is equal to 10,000m².

Is a covenant that restricts buildings, structures and vegetation so that they do not penetrate a certain height plain. An example of a height restriction plain might be 2m up from the boundary line, and then extending at a 45° angle into the property.

Is a title unique to Hawke’s Bay, and was created after the 1931 earthquake to equate for the titles and plans that were destroyed in the aftermath by fire. Is treated like a title that is limited as to parcels (see limited titles).

A land covenant is an interest in land that is registered on the certificate of title of a property. The intent of a covenant is to limit or restrict the owner and any future owners as to how they use the land / property.

Is a metric measure of area and is equal to 10,000m².

Is a survey that transfers the rights of one title to other titles, by subdivision of land or the creation of units / cross-leases or the creation of easements

Is the online service for surveyors, lawyers and other land professionals, providing access to New Zealand’s only authoritative database for land title and survey information. It enables land professionals to search, and to lodge title dealings and survey data digitally.

Licensed cadastral surveyors are authorised under the Cadastral Survey Act 2002 to undertake cadastral surveys (surveys that deal with property boundaries) and prepare survey datasets to enable the creation and transfer of interests in land. They are charged under the act for maintaining the integrity of the cadastre.

Titles that are ‘limited as to parcels’ are for sites where the area and dimensions of the title are not guaranteed by the Crown (see guaranteed titles). Sites that are limited to parcels are generally older subdivisions where a proper survey was never undertaken. Sites may end up being much smaller once the formal survey occurs, affecting land-use matters such as density, and bulk and location controls. Generally, if subdivision is to occur, a surveyor will need to survey not only the entire site but also the surrounding sites in order to gather evidence as to where the boundaries are. The surveyor will use fencing, buildings, spouting and driveways to assist in determining official boundary positions.

Was the official measurement unit in New Zealand before the adoption of the metric system. 1 link is equal to 0.201168m. Most of New Zealand’s roads were set out at 100 links (or 1 chain) wide.