Stability Alert

Most of the elevated land of the District has potential for instability resulting in slippage, slumping, slope failures and general soil erosion. The risk of loss of life, injury or damage to property from the land instability hazard will be considered in this chapter. It is difficult to always be precise in identifying the land at risk as susceptibility factors are very site specific and require detailed risk investigation in consideration of the type of development proposed. Some areas are well recorded but the absence of information does not imply other areas are hazard free. For likely areas of urban or rural residential development, where soil and slope instability are of potential concern, or have had detailed hazard assessments carried out, a Site Caution Overlay indicates potential land instability. The Overlay acts as a signal to advise the public there may be additional site-specific controls required for protection measures or a need to avoid development. The site caution overlay does not include the general rural areas where although the potential land instability hazard is no less, sites are usually large with available space for a building platform. In these areas site suitable will be assessed at Building Consent Stage. Several areas have a heightened potential for adverse effects of land instability. This is due to their physical characteristics and their proximity to urban areas.