Types of land use: what are your options?

Have you thought about changing what you use your land for?

Maybe you’re frustrated with land maintenance, or it’s not being used to its full potential. There are multiple possibilities and types of land use options out there, you just have to know what resource and advice to plug into.

As property valuers, we know that landowners can often feel confused when it comes to land use consent and land zoning rules.

To help you weigh up your land use options, Martyn Craven provides some helpful tips and advice around a change of land use and what vital elements you need to consider.

Three things to consider when you change your land use

1. Resource consent

When you look at changing the use of any land, you may need to look at any resource consent requirements. To put it simply, land use resource consent is required for an activity that affects the environment. This could include building and alterations, earthworks and horticulture. There are a few types of land use consents and they vary between regions and districts.

A change of land use needs to be considered carefully and with the future in mind as there can be far-reaching consequences if that use of land changes and you decide to change it back.

The land use consent process can be a long journey and its important to be well-informed from the very beginning. A qualified property valuer can offer valuable advice, helpful guidance and highlight potential risks that may occur over time.

2. Leasing agreements

If you’re thinking about leasing your land, you’ll need to consider the finer details of the lease. When two parties are coming together to manage land it’s paramount they’re on the same page to avoid any conflict.

The lease agreement details are critical to have in place from the beginning. A property valuer has the unique skill set and practical knowledge that allows the lease to be drawn up with those particulars in mind. Because they have a great understanding of the condition of the property, they are able to create an agreement that is fair and suits both parties, with longevity in mind.

Negotiating a lease can raise issues for both parties. A property valuer acts independently and can manage the relationship and communication between the parties. That way, you can ensure each party knows their role and are complying with the lease contract. An independent property valuer can also arrange regular meeting times and act as a medium for the landowner and lessee. Having this in place will avoid any party being left short or having to chase lessees if they’ve already left the property.

Quick tip: When leasing sections of land, the rental price will need to be considered. A property valuer can act as a rent assessor and will continue to review the rates throughout the lease.

3. Types of land use

Many landowners are at the stage where their land just isn’t working for them, but they’re not sure what options are available.

Our team has had several cases where we’ve helped people navigate through their land use options and make a decision that’s right for them.

Many of our Rotorua clients, for example, have transformed their land from farming to forestry. This is usually when they’re ready to retire and are looking into other streams of income. By converting farm into forestry, they can get good use out of their land and earn cash by selling nitrogen through the Rotorua Incentives Board scheme.

Other uses for land can be sectioning it off for different activities. By leasing different sections to things like beehives or mountain bike track developers can create multiple streams of income in different seasons.

The first step: talk to an expert

Making a change to your land use can open up many new opportunities, but it’s not a decision to be taken lightly. It’s important to know all of the options available to you and every part of the process. As qualified property valuers, our team has extensive knowledge of all types of land, including residential, commercial, rural and Māori land.

Our friendly and experienced valuers can help you work through the process to help you make the right decision and ensure there are no hidden surprises later down the line.

If you’re interested in making a land transition, get in contact with your local property valuer to discuss your land use options.

This article was originally published by TelferYoung