Use of Council Land Concessions

Wanting to start a new or renew a project, operate a charity, community, sporting or business organisation over reserve land? Or, do you need to request an easement or encroachment over Council land? You'll need to apply here for building or land space, read below for more information.

What is the use of Council land?

A use of Council land is considered to be either a temporary, short or long-term activity, occupation or other form of usage by any individual, group or organisation of Council owned and managed land.

This includes:

  • facilities;
  • parks and reserves;
  • road reserves (the roading corridor);
  • any other land owned or managed by Council; and
  • the space above and below ground level on Council land

What is a concession?

A concession refers to the collective term for a; Permit, Licence to Occupy, Easement, Encroachment, Lease and Licence.

Applications for mobile trading (any business that moves from place to place such as a food cart) over reserve land should apply here Operating a Mobile Business on Council Land | Hutt City Council.

Applications for booking a park for a wedding or event should apply here Permits-Bookings for a Park Event

This application must be filled out in conjunction with the guidelines below, and the Use of Hutt City Council Land Policy

Read the policy

Application will include the following

  1. A description of what private property (if any) may potentially be suitable as a site for the proposed use;
  2. An explanation as to why Council property is being favoured over the use of private property;
  3. A list of the groups that have been consulted. In addition, an explanation as to why those groups have been consulted or, if no groups have been consulted, an explanation as to why, in your view, consultation is unnecessary.
  4. Assessment of environmental & community effects.

Please see below for additional information & instructions.

Fees & charges are set by Council resolution, you can find the most up to date information below.

Type of UseRate
Application Fee Council Set Rate
Commercial/industrial Market Rate*
Non-Profit and Charity Organisations Community Rate** (set by Council)
Individual use or group of individuals (“individuals”) exclusive or non-exclusive Council Set Rate

*All market rates are assessed and negotiated by the relevant Asset Manager or Department Head, based on independent valuation advise, or standard methods used by local authorities.

**Community rates are adjusted for concessions within Council owned facilities.

The following concession fees and charges for Council land (other than the roading corridor) are reflective of the Annual Plan/Long Term Plan:

Community & Commercial Concession Fees 

Concession use2026-2027
New applications $190.00
Officer time First 5 hours are free, $57.00(incl GST) per hour to be charged beyond this timeframe.
Commercial Lease Market Rate
Community & Charity Rates (Tenant-owned building)
First 100m2 $5.20 per m2
101-500m2 $2.60 per m2
>501 m2 $1.30 per m2
Open land (no structure occupying) $27.10 per 1,000m2
Community or Charity: Council facility Lease Variable Cost Recovery Charge*
Licence to Occupy Commercial: Market Rate
Community: Community formula as above
Individual: Price on enquiry
Easement At full legal & administrative cost
Mobile Commercial Licence Dependant on location, trading duration and operational activity

* Council Owned Facility Fees: Through the Long-Term Plan, there is a subsidised cost recovery requirement for use of Council owned facilities, and may be enacted through a user-pays model to meet this requirement. Council reserves the right to hold discretion on fees & charge in order to align with the Use of Hutt City Council Land Policy principles and Long-Term Plan, Annual Plan and Revenue and Financing Policy decisions.

The following encroachment fees and charges for the roading corridor are reflective of the Annual Plan/Long Term Plan:

Roading Corridor Encroachments

Service2026-2027
Application fee (alterations to existing use) $348.00
Change to current licence holder $117.00
Gardens $133.00
Garage (per car park) $149.00
Drainage reserve $67.00
Pavement $67.00
Commercial Market rate
Permanent Structure (excluding garages) $250.00
Cable cars and shed for cables cars $149.00

Persons using Council land will need to accept responsibility and associated costs for maintaining the Council land in accordance with any legal requirements and to a reasonable standard, to the satisfaction of Council.

The following guidelines must be followed when applying for a concession over Council land.

Any incomplete or missing information may be requested before an application can be wholly considered.

Applications are typically reviewed and responded to within 15 working days.

Please ensure you read the Use of Hutt City Council Land Policy:

Read the policy

Activity Considerations

When considering if a proposed use of Council land request is suitable, the following questions must be considered:

  1. Are resource consent or other permissions required?
  2. Does the proposal require other specialist input?
  3. Does the activity impede or conflict with other existing activities at the site?
  4. How will the activity impact the land, boundary effects on neighbouring lands & communities?
  5. How will the activity help improve or activate the space?
  6. Is the activity consistent with the relevant strategy, management plan, and other statutory documents?
  7. Why is the activity more suitable over public land rather than private?
  8. How will the activity affect Council assets?
  9. Does the activity have support from the local or wider community including Mana Whenua and/or tangata whenua?
  10. Can the activity be successfully administered by the applicant to deliver intended outcomes?

Tenure (concession duration) Determination

Shorter Tenure

Longer Tenure

  • Evidence of declining trends in an activity
  • Evolution of activities that will compete for assets
  • Alternative uses are planned by the Council for the lease asset (for example, demolition of buildings in X years)
  • Life expectancy of facilities/assets is less than lease tenure
  • Activity does not provide significant site activation
  • Significant risk to Council budgets
  • Recognition of significant past asset investment
  • Significant asset investment that has clear evidence of no additional pressures to Council
  • Dependence by community or membership on continuity of a key activity
  • Critical key infrastructure that services majority of public

Major or Minor Use

Determined by the Delegation table in the Use of Council Land Policy (Appendix A-page 9 of the document ), if a Council report and public notification is required.  If your application is considered Major, your proposal will be publicly notified for 25 business days. A Council Officer will also draft a report to Council to recommend that the proposal be approved.

You can read more about Hutt City Council meetings here:  Council meetings and agendas | Hutt City Council

Terms & Conditions

All agreements are contingent upon agreed upon terms and conditions, with Council ultimately holding discretion, and reserves the right for these T&C's to change. The primary T&C's will cover the following, but are not limited to;

  • Public liability insurance
  • Tenant & Landlord obligations
  • Risk & Reporting
  • Sub-Leasing & Co-assignment
  • Building & Site Maintenance
  • Outgoings
  • Surrendering and Termination
  • Bond

Download an application form

PDF application forms should be returned to Parks_Leases@huttcity.govt.nz