New process for servicing confirmation from 1 November 2024

Prior Acceptance - Urban Multi-unit

Update 7 April 2025: Engineering Acceptance is no longer required for minor residential units in residential zones (except in MRZ where it is required for all multi-units).

Urban in this context means land that is zoned for residential, commercial/mixed use or industrial purposes in the Partially Operative Selwyn District Plan (the District Plan).

Multi-unit in this context means more than one principal residential unit/principal building on a parent or resultant site in the residential, commercial/mixed use and industrial zones.  
This is the common form of development in the Medium Density Residential Zone (MRZ).

The following section applies for urban multi-unit development from Friday 1 November 2024.

Please apply for engineering acceptance by submitting an Application for Multi-Unit Residential Engineering Acceptance.

Note: This prior Engineering Acceptance is not available for any vacant subdivision or rural development/units; it is only available for more than one unit shown on a site plan in the urban area.

The minimum requirements for an Engineering Acceptance application are as follows.

For more than one urban multi-units on a development site:

  • A copy of the existing ‘2 Waters Certificate’ & ‘Surface Water Certificate’ (replacing the former 5 Waters Infrastructure Servicing Certificate), which confirms network capacity.  If the Certificates have not already been obtained, apply at Selwyn District Council - Five Waters Infrastructure Servicing Application and obtain the Certificates before applying for Engineering Acceptance. (A copy of these Certificates must be included with the Engineering Acceptance application or it will not be accepted for processing.)
  • Plus the requirements below also apply.

For all urban multi-unit development:

  • A copy of the existing Flood Assessment Certificate (FAC).  If a Flood Assessment Certificate (FAC) has not already been issued for the site, apply for a FAC at the same time as applying for Engineering Acceptance, and it will be processed concurrently by the Engineers - Selwyn District Council - Flood Assessment Certificates
  • An Engineers Design Certificate is required if the proposed works result in extensions of the existing network.
  • A Multi-Unit Residential Engineering Acceptance Design Report detailing the following:
    • The proposed works associated with 5Waters, Earthworks (Overland flow), Vehicle Crossings and Accessways.
    • Identification that the applicant is seeking exemption from the applicable bylaws with respect to separate water and wastewater connections only being allowed per separate valuation number.  These exemptions will be approved as part of Engineering Acceptance in MRZ, and where appropriate in other zones.
    • How the proposed development complies with the Engineering Code of Practice (ECOP).
    • How Council’s minimum level of service requirements are achieved by the proposed works.
    • All non-compliances with the ECOP and relevant bylaws.
    • All supporting calculations.
  • Detailed design drawings of the proposed works on Council’s infrastructure, including plan view, long sections, cross sections and cut/fill plans.

We aim to process these within 20 working days.