Infrastructure
Services are too far away
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
- Water, wastewater, stormwater, power, or fibre connection points are distant, across another property, or across the road.
- Civil estimate includes long trenching, road opening, easements, or upgrades.
Likely causes
- No early service review
- Assumed existing house services could support new dwellings
- Network capacity or connection point misunderstood
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, Watercare, Utility providers 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: BeforeUdig plans, Property file drainage records, Watercare correspondence, Civil feasibility note.
- 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 BeforeUdig and utility providers before intrusive investigations, demolition, earthworks, service trenches, or connection works.
Use Watercare and civil engineering advice to verify water and wastewater connection requirements, network capacity, approvals, fees, and construction standards.
Check corridor access, traffic management, vehicle crossing, road occupation, and public road/footpath requirements where the site works affect the transport corridor.
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 where trenching, upgrades, easements, road corridor works, or pump systems are needed.
Programme impact
Medium to high because external approvals and utility coordination can take time.
Risk level
High