Due Diligence and Site Suitability Assessments

A high-level planning assessment reviews your site and proposed activity against the relevant district plan rules to establish whether your project is permitted, what consents are likely to be needed, and what the key risks and constraints are. It is a quick, cost-effective way to understand your consenting position before committing to detailed design.

It tells you what zone your land is in, what the relevant rules and standards are, whether your proposed activity is permitted or requires consent, what the likely classification of consent is (restricted discretionary, discretionary, non-complying), and what the major risks are to getting consent. It gives you the information to make a well-informed decision about proceeding.

Before you commit to purchasing land for development, before engaging engineers and architects for detailed design, or before approaching a lender for development finance. The planning position fundamentally affects the value and viability of a site, and knowing it upfront saves significant cost and frustration.

Yes. Some sites have constraints such as notable trees, heritage buildings, flooding or coastal hazard overlays, or protected natural features that limit or prevent certain types of development. Better to know this before you commit than after you have spent significant money on design. Orogen will tell you the honest position, including where constraints are serious.

Most high-level planning assessments are completed within three to five working days. For more complex sites or proposals, allow up to two weeks. We will give you a clear indication of timeframe when you contact us.

A planning assessment tells you what you need and what the risks are; it does not apply for anything. A resource consent application formally requests permission for a specific activity and triggers the council's statutory processing obligations. The planning assessment comes first and informs the consent application.

Our assessments cover the relevant district plan zone and rules, any overlay districts or designations affecting the site, permitted activity rules and relevant standards, likely consent pathway and classification, and key risks and recommended next steps. They are written to be clear and actionable, not dense planning jargon.