Driveway Relocation Site Plan NZ: Vehicle Crossing, Services and Council Approval

Relocating a driveway involves more than creating a new paved entrance. The project may affect the public footpath, kerb, grass berm, underground services, street trees, drainage and traffic safety.

A driveway relocation site plan shows the existing access, proposed driveway and new vehicle crossing in relation to the property boundaries and surrounding road corridor. It helps the council or relevant road-controlling authority understand what will change before work begins.

What Is a Driveway Relocation Site Plan?

A driveway relocation site plan is a scaled drawing showing the property and road frontage from above. It identifies both the existing driveway and the proposed new access.

Depending on the project, the plan may show:

• The legal property boundaries
• The existing driveway and vehicle crossing
• The proposed driveway alignment
• The proposed vehicle crossing
• The footpath, berm, kerb and roadway
• Vehicle sightlines
• Street trees, poles and road signs
• Stormwater pits and roadside drainage
• Underground water, wastewater and stormwater services
• Underground electricity and communication cables
• The area where the old crossing will be removed or reinstated

A clear plan allows the proposal to be checked before concrete is poured or work starts within the road reserve.

Private Driveway Versus Vehicle Crossing

The private driveway and the vehicle crossing are related, but they are not the same thing.

• Private driveway: The access located inside the legal property boundary.
• Vehicle crossing: The portion of access that crosses the public road reserve between the property boundary and the roadway.

The vehicle crossing may pass through a grass berm, footpath, cycle path, kerb or roadside drainage channel. Because this area is controlled by the relevant road authority, it should not be altered without first checking the approval requirements.

Do You Need Council Approval to Relocate a Driveway?

Many New Zealand councils require approval before a vehicle crossing is constructed, widened or relocated. The exact application process depends on the council and the road-controlling authority.

The project may require one or more of the following:

• Vehicle-crossing approval
• Resource consent
• A corridor access request
• A works access permit
• A temporary traffic management plan
• Approval to work near a public tree
• Utility-owner approval
• Approval for access onto a state highway

Contact the council responsible for the property before starting work. If the road is a state highway, discuss the proposal with NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.

When Might Resource Consent Be Required?

A vehicle crossing can be affected by district plan rules. Resource consent may be needed when the proposed access does not meet the relevant planning standards.

Possible issues include:

• The crossing is too close to an intersection
• The proposed width exceeds a permitted standard
• There are insufficient vehicle sightlines
• The access affects a protected tree
• The property is within a special planning overlay
• The driveway affects required parking or landscaping
• The proposal creates an additional crossing where access is restricted

Because district plan requirements vary, the site plan should be prepared for the individual property and road frontage.

Why the Property Boundary Must Be Shown

The front property boundary separates private land from the road reserve. It provides the reference point for the vehicle crossing and helps identify which part of the driveway is located on public land.

The site plan should clearly distinguish between:

• The legal property boundary
• The edge of the road
• The kerb and channel
• The footpath
• The grass berm
• The private driveway

Do not assume that a fence, hedge or front lawn edge marks the exact legal boundary. If its position is uncertain, boundary information may need confirmation by a licensed cadastral surveyor.

Show the Existing and Proposed Access

A driveway relocation plan should make the difference between existing and proposed work immediately clear.

Use separate labels or line styles for:

• Existing driveway
• Existing vehicle crossing
• Proposed driveway
• Proposed vehicle crossing
• Areas of new paving
• Areas to be removed
• Kerb, footpath and berm reinstatement

Showing only the new driveway can leave unanswered questions about what will happen to the old access.

What Happens to the Existing Vehicle Crossing?

When access is relocated, the old crossing will commonly need to be removed or reinstated in accordance with the road authority’s requirements.

This work may include:

• Reconstructing the kerb and channel
• Repairing or replacing the footpath
• Removing redundant concrete or asphalt
• Reinstating the grass berm
• Relocating or reconnecting roadside drainage

The extent of reinstatement should be labelled on the site plan. The council or road authority will normally specify the required construction standard.

Vehicle Sightlines and Road Safety

The proposed driveway should give drivers a reasonable view of vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians before entering the road.

Sightlines can be affected by:

• Fences and walls
• Hedges and landscaping
• Buildings close to the frontage
• Street trees
• Power poles and utility cabinets
• Parked vehicles
• Road curves and changes in level
• Nearby intersections or pedestrian crossings

The site plan may need to show sightline triangles or directional sightline arrows from the proposed crossing. These should be based on the relevant council or road-authority standard rather than an assumed distance.

Driveway Width, Alignment and Gradient

The proposed access must connect logically with the garage, carport or parking area. It should also allow vehicles to cross the footpath and kerb safely.

The plan may need to show:

• Driveway width at the property boundary
• Vehicle-crossing width at the kerb
• The angle of the crossing
• The driveway centreline
• Driveway gradients and levels
• Turning and manoeuvring areas
• Garage or carport entrance location
• Changes between existing and proposed paving

On sloping land, a driveway profile or level information may be required to check vehicle clearance and prevent scraping.

Check Underground Services Before Finalising the Location

The berm and road frontage often contain important underground infrastructure. A proposed crossing can conflict with:

• Water supply pipes
• Wastewater pipes
• Stormwater pipes
• Electricity cables
• Gas pipes where present
• Fibre and telecommunications cables
• Service connections to the property

Relocating a service can be expensive and may require approval from the asset owner. It is better to identify potential conflicts before the driveway location is finalised.

beforeUdig New Zealand allows homeowners, contractors and designers to request available information about underground assets near proposed excavation work.

Private Services May Not Appear on Utility Plans

Public utility records may not show every pipe or cable located inside private property. Older properties may also have unrecorded, abandoned or relocated services.

Look for:

• Water meters and toby boxes
• Drainage inspection covers
• Power and telecommunications cabinets
• Downpipes entering the ground
• Existing service trenches
• Old plans and property records

Private services should be located before excavation where they could be affected by the new driveway.

Street Trees and Landscaping

A street tree may affect where the crossing can be placed. Excavation and concrete work can damage roots even when the trunk is outside the proposed driveway.

The plan should identify:

• The tree trunk position
• The canopy where relevant
• The likely root-protection area
• Nearby garden beds or street landscaping

Do not remove, prune or excavate near a council tree without checking the applicable requirements. Relocating the driveway may be preferable to damaging an established tree.

Other Roadside Features to Check

The proposed crossing should also be checked against visible road-corridor features, including:

• Power poles
• Streetlights
• Fire hydrants
• Bus stops
• Traffic signs
• Pedestrian crossings
• Cycle facilities
• Catchpits and drainage outlets
• Utility cabinets and inspection covers

If a feature must be moved, the relevant asset owner may need to approve and complete the relocation. The property owner may also be responsible for the associated cost.

Stormwater and Surface Drainage

A relocated driveway changes the site’s hard-surface area and flow paths. The design should prevent water from entering the garage, crossing the footpath dangerously or flowing onto neighbouring land.

Useful site-plan information can include:

• Existing and proposed surface falls
• Driveway levels
• Channel drains or catchpits
• Kerb and channel details
• Stormwater connections
• Overland flow paths
• Areas of existing and proposed paving

Complex or sloping sites may require a drainage design, levels or engineering information in addition to the site plan.

Access from a State Highway

If the property accesses a state highway, the local council may not be the only authority involved.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advises that permanent property access onto a state highway may require land-use or access approval. Work in the highway corridor can also require a corridor access request, works access permit or traffic management plan.

Check the current state-highway access requirements before designing or relocating the crossing.

What Should a Driveway Relocation Site Plan Show?

Depending on the project and council, the plan should include:

• Property address and street name
• Legal boundaries and available dimensions
• North arrow and drawing scale
• Existing house, garage or carport
• Existing driveway and vehicle crossing
• Proposed driveway and vehicle crossing
• Areas of paving to be removed or added
• Kerb, footpath and berm reinstatement
• Driveway and crossing widths
• Vehicle sightlines
• Road-reserve features
• Street trees and landscaping
• Known underground services
• Stormwater and surface-flow information
• Levels or gradients where relevant
• Vehicle turning or manoeuvring space

Information Needed to Prepare the Plan

Before ordering your driveway relocation site plan, gather as much of the following information as possible:

• The property address
• A current record of title or survey plan
• A marked sketch of the proposed access
• Measurements of the existing driveway
• The preferred new crossing width
• Site photographs from both traffic directions
• Garage, carport or parking-area location
• Available level or contour information
• Utility plans and known service locations
• Locations of street trees, poles, pits and signs
• Relevant council application requirements
• Any request for further information already received

A Practical Driveway Relocation Process

1. Check the road authority: Confirm whether the frontage is controlled by the local council or NZ Transport Agency.
2. Review the property: Identify boundaries, buildings, parking areas, slopes and road-corridor features.
3. Check planning rules: Confirm access, width, sightline and resource-consent requirements.
4. Investigate services: Request available utility plans and arrange physical locating where required.
5. Prepare the site plan: Show the existing access, proposed crossing, reinstatement and surrounding features.
6. Apply for approval: Submit the plan and supporting information to the relevant authority.
7. Resolve conditions: Update the design if the council, road authority or utility owner identifies a conflict.
8. Construct and inspect: Use an approved contractor and arrange required inspections before work is covered.

Common Driveway Relocation Mistakes

• Constructing the crossing before receiving approval
• Showing only the private driveway and not the road reserve
• Failing to identify what happens to the existing crossing
• Ignoring underground or overhead services
• Assuming utility plans show the exact service position
• Placing the crossing too close to a street tree or pole
• Not checking vehicle and pedestrian sightlines
• Failing to show driveway levels on a sloping site
• Directing surface water across the footpath or onto neighbouring land
• Using a plan that does not match the proposed construction

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I move my driveway without council approval?

Do not assume so. Many councils require approval before a vehicle crossing is constructed, widened or relocated. Check with the road-controlling authority before starting work.

Is a vehicle crossing the same as a driveway?

No. The driveway is generally inside the property. The vehicle crossing passes through the public road reserve between the property boundary and roadway.

What happens to the old crossing?

The old crossing may need to be removed and the kerb, footpath and berm reinstated to the road authority’s standard.

Can the crossing be built over underground services?

Possibly, but the asset owners and council must be consulted. Protection, relocation or a redesigned crossing may be required.

Does beforeUdig locate services exactly?

No. The service provides available utility information, but plans may not show the exact position or depth. Physical locating and careful verification may still be required.

Do I need a site plan for a crossing application?

Many road authorities request a scaled plan showing property boundaries, existing and proposed access, nearby road features and service information.

What if the property fronts a state highway?

Contact NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi. State-highway access can require different approvals from an ordinary local-road crossing.

Plan the New Access Before Work Begins

A driveway relocation affects both private property and the public road corridor. Preparing a clear plan helps identify service conflicts, access problems and approval requirements before construction begins.

The site plan should make the existing and proposed layouts easy to compare. It should also show the property boundary, road reserve, sightlines, underground services, street features and the reinstatement of the old crossing.

This article provides general information only. Vehicle-crossing, road-corridor, planning and service requirements vary between councils, road authorities and individual properties.