Navigating Complex Cadastral Challenges
The Pigeon Bay Road Survey
At Fox and Associates, we pride ourselves on overcoming surveying challenges with a combination of technical expertise, innovative tools, and time-tested methods. One of our most notable recent projects, the Pigeon Bay Road project, is a testament to our ability to resolve complex cadastral issues while delivering outstanding results for our clients. Below, we share the story of this award-winning survey and how our team successfully navigated its unique challenges.
The Challenge
Our clients, retired farmers and life-long residents of Banks Peninsula had recently completed their dream home with sweeping views over beautiful Pigeon Bay. They wanted to separate the house and surrounding land into a lifestyle block, distinct from their larger 600+ hectare farm. However, the lifestyle block was positioned at the intersection of three underlying titles that hadn’t been surveyed or modified for over 120 years.
To complicate matters further, the old survey information was incomplete, with many boundaries defined by outdated records and no physical evidence on the ground. The steep terrain, dense vegetation, and incredibly narrow access road presented additional difficulties. Our task was not only to resolve the significant conflicts in the cadastre (the system used to record and locate boundaries of land) but also to remove limitations on the land parcels for the new title.
The Solution
Given the nature of this complex cadastral survey, we adopted a range of strategies to overcome the technical challenges:
1. Boundary Resolution: We spent time searching for old survey pegs and measuring to old trig stations and old fence lines along title boundaries, cross-referencing these with historic survey records from 1911 and earlier. While the road centreline was initially expected to define the Pigeon Bay Road boundaries, we discovered two old totara strainer posts hidden in the bush. All this evidence helped us determine boundary alignments and resolve conflicts.
2. Fragmented Titles: The existing titles were made up of many parcels which were not contiguous and made no sense on the ground. An example of this was the title that contained the original homestead, which also included farmland on the opposite side of Pigeon Bay Road.
3. Fieldwork: The thick vegetation covering old boundary markers required careful clearing, which we achieved with a combination of traditional tools, experienced staff, and safety gear. Tenacity and precision were key in pegging the old and inaccurate title boundaries.
4. Technology and Innovation: While we own cutting-edge tools like laser scanners and drones, we recognised that sometimes the best solutions come from traditional methods. In this case, more conventional surveying methods, combined with modern GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receivers and a robotic total station, proved essential to resolve critical aspects of the project.
The Result
Thanks to the expertise of our team and the meticulous preparation of the dataset, this complex survey was approved without any changes being requested by the Surveyor General’s staff.
This was a significant achievement, particularly given the challenges presented by the outdated cadastral records and difficult terrain.
Our clients now have a clearly defined lifestyle block, separate from their larger farm holding. The result is a valuable, standalone property in their names, providing flexibility for future estate planning.
Additionally, by structuring the balance parcels correctly, we avoided the need for a complex covenant under Section 220(2) of the Resource Management Act. This ensured that the original farm homestead now has its own title on the other side of Pigeon Bay Road, providing an easier path for any future transactions without having to involve the council.
We are proud to share that this project was awarded Silver for the 2024 Cadastral Survey of the Year Award, recognising the dedication and technical excellence of our team at Fox and Associates. Read the Award Announcement.