Applying to stop a road

Before any road land can be stopped, Hurunui District Council will need to confirm the road is no longer required for transport purposes and carry out the necessary road-stopping processes, including removing the road status of the land so that it is no longer subject to laws relating to roads, eg. public access.

The road-stopping process is governed by either the Local Government Act 1974 or the Public Works Act 1981.

Who can apply

Only the immediate adjoining landowners can apply to stop a road. You are likely to have your application declined unless you can obtain the prior written consent of all other adjoining landowners (and service/utility authorities if any of their utilities are affected). Only those properties immediately next to the road to be stopped are adjoining owners. The next door neighbour who is one or more properties removed is not considered an adjoining owner.

You, as the applicant, are required to pay current market value for the land defined by registered valuation and meet all Councils reasonable costs during the process. These costs include (but are not limited to) land survey, valuation, public notification costs, legal and Land Information New Zealand costs, as well as staff processing time. Costs will be invoiced to you on a monthly basis as the work is done.

Note: The Council reserves the right to exercise its discretion not to stop the road at any point during the application process.

Step 1. Initial enquiry

Check if the area of road can be considered for a road stopping.

Step 2. Submit a formal application

If the initial enquiry is confirmed by council then you can submit a formal application:

Road Stopping Application Form

Also required with your application

• Adjoining landowner consent - Affected Landowner Consent Form (separate application per adjoining landowner)
• Signed consents from utility providers (if any of their utilities are affected).
• Non-refundable deposit of $500.00 (including GST) plus actual costs, including staff time $150.00 per hour.

Step 3. Approval process

1. The Council consult about future use of the legal road to establish whether there is any reason it cannot be stopped and what, if any, conditions are required.
2. A survey plan of the affected land area to be amalgamated with the your land is prepared (at your cost).
3. Valuation of the land arranged (at your cost).
4. Council Committee supports or declines the request to initiate the road stopping process.
5. If the road is in a rural area, consent from the Minister of Land Information New Zealand is required.
6. Notices of Closure are advertised in a publication widely distributed throughout the district, at your cost, and in the Public Notices section of the Hurunui District Council website (opportunity for objections).
7. Notice is affixed to the site announcing the stopping until the objection period closes (40 working days).
8. If objections are received, the matter can be referred to the Environment Court. The Council will not take proceedings to the Environment Court, which means the process is halted.
9. If no objections are received, The Council places a notice in a publication widely distributed throughout the district declaring that the road is stopped (at your cost).
10. The Council obtains a registered valuation of the property to offer. If you agree to purchase at the valuation sum, settlement is reached. If you refuse to purchase the land, you will still have to meet all costs incurred to that date.

Note: There is no guarantee that applications will progress through all the stages of the process and that the road will be stopped.