Use road reserve for private purposes

Given Wellington’s topography, you may need to use the road reserve for your car deck or garage, or structures such as steps, fences or walls.

Using road reserve

Road reserve is the strip of land between your property's front boundary and an existing formed road or footpath.

To use this land, you'll need:

  • to rent or buy it from the Council
  • a resource consent.

You may also need a building consent.

If you're not sure where the boundaries of your property are, you may need to employ a surveyor or property lawyer.

Renting or buying Council land

To rent the land, you'll need to apply for an encroachment licence.

Encroachments

The Council may be able to sell the land if it is not needed for utilities, roads or footpaths. The process of changing the status of the land so it can be sold is called road stopping.

Road stopping

We recommend you get permission to rent or buy the land before you apply for your resource consent.

Resource consent

When you apply for a resource consent to build a structure like a car deck on road reserve, we assess the impact of your proposal on:

  • neighbouring properties (for example, if it will shade other property)
  • neighbourhood character (for example, the design and siting of your building or structure)
  • vegetation (for example, any vegetation that may need to be removed).

Resource consents

Building consent

You need a building consent for all work that affects the structure of a building, and all plumbing or drainage work other than simple repairs.

Building consents

Other permissions you may need

If you're creating or changing a driveway or kerb

If you're creating a new driveway or doing work that will affect the existing driveway or kerb, you'll need vehicle access permission.

Create or change a driveway or kerb

Need help?

You can phone our Contact Centre any time on 04 499 4444 or email info@wcc.govt.nz.