Infrastructure
Flooding risk discovered
This can change development yield, consent pathway, purchase price, funding, construction cost, settlement timing, or legal risk. Treat it as a decision point, not background noise.
What it looks like
- GeoMaps or consultant advice identifies flood plain, flood prone area, or flooding history.
- Building platforms, finished floor levels, drainage, or earthworks may need redesign.
Likely causes
- Flood layers not checked early
- Older drainage information
- Low-lying site
- Storm events revealed new risk
Immediate action
- 1Pause the affected decision or commitment until the issue is understood.
- 2Record the issue in the risk register with date, source, owner, and next action.
- 3Send the relevant documents to Civil engineer, Planner, Auckland Council and ask for written advice.
- 4Update feasibility, programme, budget, and decision register if cost, time, yield, consent, title, finance, or sales assumptions may change.
Step-by-step solution
- 1Define the problem in one sentence and identify which project decision it affects.
- 2Check the controlling documents: GeoMaps, LIM, Civil report, AUP hazard layers, and related project records.
- 3Ask the responsible professional to confirm whether the issue is real, minor, manageable, or project-changing.
- 4List the available options: redesign, renegotiate, seek consent, add cost allowance, change programme, change sales strategy, or abandon.
- 5Price and programme each option using the current feasibility model.
- 6Make a written decision with source references and approval from the developer or project owner.
- 7Notify affected parties such as lender, lawyer, consultants, builder, agent, buyer, or council when required.
What not to do
- Do not rely on a seller, agent, or builder comment when a planner, lawyer, accountant, engineer, surveyor, valuer, lender, or council needs to confirm it.
- Do not hide the issue from the feasibility just because the project looked profitable yesterday.
- Do not waive due diligence, lodge consent, sign a contract, approve a variation, or promise settlement while the issue is unresolved.
- Do not give legal, tax, finance, planning, engineering, or council advice to others unless a qualified professional has confirmed it.
Source / Where to check
Use GeoMaps as an early desktop check for property layers, contours, flooding/overland flow information, services context, and council spatial information. Confirm critical matters with professionals and council.
Use the LIM to check council-held information relevant to the land. Treat it as one due diligence document, not a substitute for title, survey, planning, engineering, legal, or finance advice.
Check the operative plan, maps, zones, precincts, overlays, activity status, development controls, subdivision rules, and assessment criteria for the specific site.
Planner, surveyor, architect, engineer, quantity surveyor, lawyer, accountant, lender, valuer, real estate agent, and other project specialists must confirm site-specific decisions.
Cost impact
High if floor levels, earthworks, drainage design, consent path, or insurance assumptions change.
Programme impact
Medium to high because civil analysis and redesign may be required.
Risk level
High