Nine To Noon Auckland resident questions flood mapping
Mar 19, 2026
Stephanie Burgess, a Glendowie homeowner and former planning consultant now in real estate, disputes a flood-prone shading on council maps. Nick Vigar, Head of Network/Planning at Auckland Council, explains LIDAR-based hazard overlays and how mapping informs LIMs and development. They discuss mapping accuracy, site-specific assessments, and how map designations affect property perceptions.
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Homeowner Finds Half Her House Marked Flood Prone
- Stephanie Burgess discovered new blue-hatched flood-prone mapping over about half her Glendowie property after nearly 30 years with no flooding.
- She says the mapping is based on 2016 LIDAR flyover contours and feels like a broad-brush model that mislabels living areas as flood-prone.
LIDAR Models Trigger Investigation Not Final Judgments
- LIDAR-based flood modelling is a useful starting point but can bounce off roofs and trees so it isn't fully site-specific.
- Nick Vigar and Stephanie both note LIDAR is broad brush and triggers further investigation rather than providing definitive property-level answers.
Get A Survey And Hydrology Report To Challenge Maps
- Do commission precise surveys and hydrologist reports if you need to contest a flood notation or reassure buyers.
- Stephanie had a surveyor establish datum levels and was quoted about $8,000 for a hydrologist report to document actual site risk.