Tenure Review Background & Process

Here you can find out more about what is meant by tenure review of pastoral leases and a summary of the process.

About pastoral leases

Pastoral leaseholders are generally farmers who have a 33-year lease with a perpetual right of renewal. Leases allow grazing of the land for pastoral farming purposes. Leaseholders are subject to a range of restrictions on other land uses.

About tenure review

Pastoral leaseholders can apply for a tenure review to gain freehold title of some of the land that is leased off the Crown.

Tenure review of a pastoral lease is a voluntary negotiation between the Crown and the leaseholder that results in some land being transferred to the Department of Conservation, and the lessee gaining freehold title to some land capable of productive use.

Tenure review under the Land Act 1948

Thirty-two Crown pastoral leases completed tenure review under the Land Act 1948 before the Crown Pastoral Land Act came into effect in 1998. Read the Crown Pastoral Land Act 1998 on the New Zealand Legislation website.

Lakeside policy

Some properties have been excluded from tenure review because they have significant landscape (including lakesides) or biodiversity values.

The Government has decided to exclude 65 lakeside properties from tenure review because it is unlikely that important values on these properties would be satisfactorily protected once land was freeholded. However if affected leaseholders agree to certain conditions they can participate in the tenure review process.

Summary of the process

LINZ administers the tenure review process according to a set of standards and guidelines.

The process involves:

• an application to LINZ by the leaseholder
• consultation
• preparation of a final proposal by LINZ.

Application by the leaseholder

The leaseholder invites LINZ to undertake a tenure review.

For more information check the guide for leaseholders.

Consultation

LINZ consults with the pastoral leaseholder on the future ownership of the leasehold land. A preliminary proposal is then prepared by LINZ. The proposal is publicly advertised and submissions called for.

LINZ also consults with groups such as:

• Department of Conservation
• Fish and Game New Zealand
• iwi
• the general public.

To find out more, download the pamphlet Tenure Review Public Submission Process (pdf 261KB).

Proposal to leaseholder

LINZ's final proposal is then presented to the leaseholder. All feedback is taken into account along with the objectives of the tenure review.

It is up to the leaseholder to accept the proposal for the land before it can either be restored to full Crown ownership, or made freehold.

Contact

Tenure Review - Technical Lead
LINZ Pastoral Unit
Christchurch Office
Private Bag 4721
Christchurch 8140

Phone 0800 665 463 (within NZ)
Fax + 64 3 365 9715
Email tenurereview@linz.govt.nz