Subdivisions – divide and gain

When do I need a subdivision?

When you want to divide your land or existing building into two or more lots. On completion of your subdivision, each lot is given its own title and can be sold individually.

Subdivisions range from small-scale two-lot subdivisions for ‘mum and dad’ developers to multi- staged subdivisions for large-scale developers or even multi-storey building subdivisions in the commercial or residential sectors.

What’s involved in the subdivision process?

To create new titles on your property, you’ll need a planning permit to subdivide and certification of your plan of subdivision from council. Depending on your project requirements you may also need a planning permit to develop.

Planning permits for subdivision require legally bound land measurements and plans as well as a range of conditions to be satisfied by council and service authorities. It’s a legal requirement that you engage a licensed surveyor to complete all surveying related services required for your subdivision.

Our team of Licensed Land Surveyors and development consultants have the skills and experience to make sure your application is prepared professionally and coordinated appropriately.

There are five main stages we complete, together with you and your legal professionals, to achieve your end goal of an endorsed plan of subdivision:

1. Preparing and applying for your planning permit

We prepare your preliminary plan of subdivision and all documents required for your planning permit application. We submit your application to council using the SPEAR online referral system. You’re invited as a  ‘guest’ to your application so you can follow its progress.

If council accepts your application, they will refer it onto all servicing authorities (water, gas, electricity and so on) for assessment.

The authorities will respond to council, either granting or denying consent for your application, and providing any conditions to be met in relation to their service.

2. Meeting planning permit conditions

If all authorities grant consent, council should issue your planning permit for subdivision with a list of conditions to be met.

We will help you meet all surveying related conditions on your planning permit.

You will need to ensure that all other conditions on the permit are satisfied and inform us when they are completed OR you may opt to select our Project Coordination service and we will help you coordinate these extra conditions outside the surveying scope for an additional fee.

3. Certification

As each servicing authority’s conditions are met during stage 2, they will provide their own individual consent allowing council to issue a Statement of Compliance (SOC). Council will need all authorities to consent to SOC.

Our surveyors will visit your site to mark and confirm the approved lots

We will prepare and submit the final plan of subdivision to council based on updated survey data and amendments as required throughout the development.

Council should then certify/endorse the final plan of subdivision for submission to land registry.

4. Compliance (Statement of Compliance/SOC)

When all planning permit conditions have been completed and checked, council will issue their final Statement of Compliance.

5. Lodgement at Land Use Victoria

Our licensed surveyors will prepare legal documentation including a Surveyor’s Report, Abstract of Field Records and Supplementary Field Records.

We will submit these documents to SPEAR ready for your legal representative to lodge at Land Use Victoria to create your new titles.

Our team of Licensed Land Surveyors and development consultants are ready to help you coordinate your subdivision project. Submit your Survey Request Form today for a comprehensive fee proposal.

Need help meeting your planning permit conditions?

Subdividing your land is not as simple as marking a line on a plan. It’s a complex legal journey that involves input from a team of professionals, including Licensed Land Surveyors, to help you meet all conditions on your planning permit.

Our subdivision services provide you with general advice about meeting all the conditions on your planning permit, including answering your questions and pointing you in the right direction.

If you prefer us to coordinate the entire process for you – from advising on engineering drainage requirements to applying for costs and conditions with water and power authorities, and following up on progress reports – our specialists can provide a comprehensive Project Coordination service to take care of the nitty gritty for you. We charge for this service at an hourly rate.

Project coordination – streamline your subdivision

When do I need it?

When you want your planning permit for subdivision and certification of subdivision completed ASAP and you prefer to avoid the paper trail, follow-up calls and confusing subdivision jargon.

What’s included in the project coordination service?

We know our way around planning permits and have developed relationships with numerous councils, referral authorities and other contacts to get your application moving. We are proficient SPEAR users, which helps us monitor your application and stay on top of all required actions.

Let our experienced team do all the hard work for you and ensure your subdivision gets across the line in the fastest, most cost-efficient way.

Our project coordination service takes care of the following conditions on your planning permit:

Engineering Drainage

We determine and advise on requirements for engineering drainage such as stormwater construction and wastewater detention systems. We also request and advise you about wastewater levy information.

Water Authority

We prepare the application for costs and conditions to your water authority and follow up with them on timelines for certification and Statement of Compliance.

Power Authority

We prepare the application for costs and conditions to your relevant power authority and follow up on timelines for certification and Statement of Compliance.

Telecommunications

We organise relevant telecommunications requirements via our recommended licensed pit and pipe provider.

Section 173 Agreements

We get quotes for preparation of your Section 173 agreement, if required.

Council Engineering

We determine and advise on other engineering requirements such as concrete crossovers, inspections, any special permits, and follow up with timelines for certification and Statement of Compliance.

General Conditions

We follow up with council or any other referral authorities as needed.

Regular Client Updates

We keep in regular contact with you about the progress of your certification application and provide you with SPEAR updates along the way.

Note: our project coordination service does not include:

• - Payment of any services to external parties for you or on your behalf
• - Engaging any subcontractors on your behalf (for example, plumbers or electricians)
• - Lodgement of your documents at Land Use Victoria – you will need a legal representative to action this for you.
  
  

When you choose our project coordination service, we will provide you with an additional fee proposal outlining the scope of included works and the additional hourly rate fee incurred.

Adverse Possession – increase your boundaries

When do I need it?

When you plan to acquire ownership of a portion of land by proving you have had continuous and exclusive possession of it for at least 15 years.

How do I get Adverse Possession?

You need to submit an application for adverse possession with the Titles Office. Your lawyer or solicitor must complete the application on your behalf and include supporting documents from a Licensed Land Surveyor.

What surveying is involved?

Our team of experienced Licensed Surveyors can provide the required surveys and supporting documentation you need for an adverse possession claim including:

• Title Re-Establishment Survey
• Surveyor’s Report
• Abstract of Field Records
• Plan of Survey

Once completed, we then lodge the necessary documentation electronically via the state government’s online SPEAR system (Surveying and Planning through Electronic Applications and Referrals). Your legal representative can access these documents online to include in their preparation and lodgement of your Adverse Possession application.

Asset Recording Surveys – capture accurate data

Asset Recording surveys provide councils and service authorities with accurate digital data specifications about infrastructure assets such as drainage pipes, pits and so on. They use the data to better understand and manage their infrastructure.

The information collected on these assets must be captured in the correct format to comply with authorities.

Our team of Licensed Land Surveyors has a comprehensive understanding of the A-Spec suite of data specifications.

We use the latest surveying technology together with our in-depth knowledge of the A-Spec suite of specifications to provide you with accurate ‘As-Constructed’ digital data in a GIS-ready format.

Complete our Quote Request Form for a detailed fee proposal.

Lettable Area Survey (AKA Lease Area Survey) – know your space

A lettable area survey is designed to measure the occupiable floor space and/or land area of your property for leasing purposes.

Our surveys are based on the Property Council of Australia (PCA) ‘Method of Measurement of Lettable Area’ guidelines. They assist with rental calculations to enter, renew or negotiate a lease, and property market assessments.

Accurate survey data is essential to protect the interests of property owners, property managers, investors, buyers and tenants, and inform leasing agents of areas available for lease.

What type of Lettable Area Survey do I need?

We provide three methods of measuring lease areas. The one you need depends on your property type.

Gross Lettable Area (GLA) Surveys – commercial and industrial properties

Our GLA surveys calculate total lettable floor space using measurements taken from exterior wall surfaces and/or the mid-line of any shared walls, and include areas such as mezzanine floors.

GLA surveys are used for a range of properties including showrooms, warehouses, industrial buildings and freestanding supermarkets.

Gross Lettable Area Retail (GLAR) Surveys – retail tenancies

Our GLAR surveys take measurements from the internal surfaces on the exterior walls and/or midline of any shared walls to calculate the total occupiable floor space. Areas of exclusive use for the occupant such as basements and mezzanines are included in the survey.

GLAR surveys are used to accurately determine the retail tenancy areas in commercial buildings, shopping centres, strip shops, semi-detached or terrace type shops, and free-standing shops.

Net Lettable Area (NLA) Surveys – office buildings

Our NLA surveys take measurements from the internal surfaces on the exterior walls and/or mid-line of any shared walls and excludes areas such as toilets, stair wells, vertical service ducts and lift lobbies to calculate the total occupiable floor space.

NLA surveys are used to identify the floor space of multi-storey properties and office buildings.

Complete our Quote Request Form for a detailed fee proposal.

Creating, Dissolving and Amending Common Property – managing your common property

Do you have common property on your land that’s no longer active? Does your common property need to be altered to suit current conditions? We can help you unlock the potential value of your property by dissolving or amending an owner’s corporation that’s no longer relevant.

Common property areas include land, buildings and airspace that are not defined lots. They are collectively owned by multiple lot owners who share these areas. Many subdivisions involve common property in the form of passages, walls, gardens, stairwells, pathways, driveways, lifts, foyers and fences. Common property must be managed by an owner’s corporation, which places restrictions on what you can and can’t do on your land and the common property shared with other lot owners.

As Licensed Land Surveyors we can create, dissolve and amend common property land parcels to suit your requirements. We do this in association with your legal representative and the associated owner’s corporation company.

Town Planning – the rules of land use and development

When do I need it?

When you’re trying to determine if you can complete your subdivision, you’ll need to consider all town planning requirements. Your project may also require town planning reports to satisfy planning permit conditions.

Knowing the rules.

While land surveying is our primary field, we have a wide range of knowledge when it comes to town planning and development.

Our team of development consultants will extensively research your property and provide you with general advice in regards to town planning rules and regulations relating to your development applications and feasibility.

We have strong relationships with expert local town planners to provide you with comprehensive town planning reports, urban designs and statutory planning advice as required for your project.

Contact us today to discuss your project requirements.