Medium-density Housing

Medium-density housing projects typically use either fee simple (freehold) subdivision or unit title, depending on the lot configuration and shared elements involved. Fee simple is straightforward where each unit sits on its own separate lot. Unit title is used where buildings share a footprint, courtyard, or common area. Orogen can advise which structure suits your development and carry out the survey for either.

The National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD) and the Medium Density Residential Standards require councils to permit at least three dwellings of up to three storeys in most residential zones without resource consent. This has significantly increased development potential on many urban sites. Orogen's planning team can quickly assess what your site can accommodate under the current rules.

We work from the architectural plans to prepare the survey data and title structure. Early involvement is important so the lot boundaries, common areas, and easements are correctly reflected in both the architectural design and the survey plan. Misalignment between the design and the title structure is one of the most common causes of delay on medium-density projects.

An accessory unit (such as a garage or storage area on a separate title) is created alongside the principal unit in a unit title development. Orogen prepares the unit plan to show both principal and accessory units, ensures they are correctly linked in the body corporate rules, and lodges the plan with LINZ as part of the unit title registration process.

We provide the LINZ-approved survey plan and the s224c application supporting material. For unit title developments, we prepare the unit plan required for title registration. Everything is coordinated with your solicitor and the council.

Timing depends on the consent conditions and the complexity of the title structure. Once resource consent is granted, Orogen typically needs four to eight weeks to prepare and lodge the survey plan. LINZ processing adds a further two to six weeks. We keep the programme tight and flag any issues early so you can plan your settlement and marketing dates with confidence.