Marginal Strips

Marginal strips are strips of land, usually 20 metres wide, which extend along and abut the landward margins of parts of the foreshore and the beds of other water bodies that meet certain minimum size requirements. The strips are created when the Crown disposes of land. The size requirements and other characteristics of the strips are specified in Part IVA of the Conservation Act 1987.

Section 24D(3) of the Conservation Act 1987 requires marginal strips to be shown on "the proper plans".

Representation of movable marginal strips in cadastral survey datasets

The Rules for Cadastral Survey do not require movable marginal strips to be depicted on CSDs. However, if a movable marginal strip is depicted on a CSD, it must comply with the requirements in the Rules. The Rules will be particularly relevant when Crown-owned land is being prepared for disposal, since government departments are expected to ask surveyors to identify and define any marginal strips.

An overview of the process suggested by officials for dealing with marginal strips when preparing Crown-owned land for disposal (pdf 32KB) is available as a flow chart. This process diagram is available in rtf format (rtf 73KB) as well.

When a marginal strip is to be represented in a CSD, it must be depicted as a parcel. See particular requirements for Movable Marginal Strips - capturing in Landonline on the Landonline website.

Marginal strip data that is provided to LINZ in accordance with the Ruling will be spatially captured and integrated into Landonline.

Guidelines for identifying marginal strips

The Department of Conservation has produced guidelines to help surveyors identify water bodies that qualify for marginal strips when the Crown disposes of the adjoining land.

Copies of the guidelines, called "The Identification of Water Bodies that will qualify for Marginal Strips", can be obtained from the Department of Conservation's Corporate Services Group - Legal Services Unit. Contact the Department of Conservation Head Office.