Firstpass · Property hazard report
Sample49 Coutts Street, Kilbirnie, Wellington
Kilbirnie, Wellington
- Prepared
- 30 August 2026 at 2:36 pm
- Council area
- Wellington City Council
- Layers checked
- 11 hazard · 3 context
- Search radius
- 30m around the address pin
Overall result
Needs attention
11 hazard layers checked · 4 need review · 1 minor
This address sits inside mapped coastal inundation, liquefaction susceptibility, and tsunami evacuation zone. These are the kind of findings that affect insurance, consents, and resale. Regional river flood and coastal storm surge came back clear.
4
Need review
1
Minor
6
Clear
0
Unconfirmed
What was found
- Coastal inundation — Medium — Coastal Inundation Hazard Overlay
- Liquefaction susceptibility — High; High; Low — Liquefaction Hazard Overlay
- Tsunami evacuation zone — Orange evacuation zone
- Tsunami hazard overlay — High — Coastal Tsunami Hazard Overlay
- Flood inundation — Low — Flood Hazard – Inundation
What to do next
Before you go unconditional: get a LIM, put the address to your insurer in writing, and take specialist advice on the layers below.
Every layer below was queried against this pin and the 30m radius shown.
Every layer at a glance
The full result set. Detail for each layer follows.
| Layer | What we found | Status |
|---|---|---|
| River flood (100-year) | Nothing mapped here | Clear |
| River flood (400-year) | Nothing mapped here | Clear |
| Flood inundation (district plan) | Low — Flood Hazard – Inundation | Minor |
| Overland flowpath | Nothing mapped here | Clear |
| Stream corridor | Nothing mapped here | Clear |
| Coastal storm surge | Nothing mapped here | Clear |
| Coastal inundation (district plan) | Medium — Coastal Inundation Hazard Overlay | Review |
| Liquefaction susceptibility | High; High; Low — Liquefaction Hazard Overlay | Flagged |
| Tsunami evacuation zone | Orange evacuation zone | Flagged |
| Tsunami hazard overlay | High — Coastal Tsunami Hazard Overlay | Flagged |
| Fault hazard overlay | Nothing mapped here | Clear |
| Regional context — not counted in your result | ||
| Earthquake groundshaking | Intensity 3 Moderate | Context |
| Earthquake slope failure | Mapped — 1 Low | Context |
| Shallow landslide susceptibility | Nothing mapped here | Context |
What applies to this property
5 layers reach this address, in full.
Flood inundation (district plan)
Low — Flood Hazard – Inundation
Council map data
- Hazard ranking
- Low
- Matched overlay
- Inundation area (low hazard)
Matched within 30m of the geocoded address pin — not a full-title parcel search.
What this is
District plan flood inundation marks areas council planners treat as liable to flood from rivers, streams, or overland flow in a design storm. It is the operative planning rule — what appears on consents and subdivision applications, not just a regional model.
What we found here
Within the district plan flood inundation overlay — directly relevant to building consents and subdivision.
Next step
Compare with GWRC river flood layers. Ask the council whether overland flow or stream corridors also apply nearby.
Coastal inundation (district plan)
Medium — Coastal Inundation Hazard Overlay
Council map data
- Hazard ranking
- Medium
- Scenario
- Coastal inundation extent with 1.43m sea level rise scenario and 1:100 year storm
- Matched overlay
- Coastal inundation — 1.43m SLR + 1:100 year storm (medium hazard)
Matched within 30m of the geocoded address pin — not a full-title parcel search.
What this is
WCC’s coastal inundation overlay is the district plan layer for storm-tide flooding — where council expects coastal water to reach during a severe storm at today’s sea level. It drives planning rules and hazard disclosures in coastal suburbs.
What we found here
Medium — Coastal Inundation Hazard Overlay. Within the district plan coastal inundation overlay — compare with GWRC storm surge and check consent history.
If you're buying
The district plan coastal inundation overlay applies here — council’s operative hazard layer for storm-tide flooding. Used in consent assessments and plan change processes.
Insurance
Coastal plan overlays are increasingly relevant to insurer underwriting.
On a LIM
A LIM may note coastal hazard provisions or past consent conditions.
Next step
Review WCC coastal hazard guidance. Compare with GWRC storm surge modelling — both can apply.
Liquefaction susceptibility
High; High; Low — Liquefaction Hazard Overlay
Council map data
- GWRC regional map
- Classified as High liquefaction susceptibility (Antropogenic fill)
- WCC earthquake hazard
- Classified as High liquefaction susceptibility (Antropogenic fill)
- District plan overlay
- Classified as High liquefaction susceptibility (Anthropogenic fill)
Matched within 30m of the geocoded address pin — not a full-title parcel search.
What this is
Liquefaction is when sandy or silty soils behave like liquid during earthquake shaking — the ground can settle, crack, or lose strength. Wellington’s harbour reclamations and soft coastal soils are most affected. Mapping is regional (≈200 m), not a test of your specific foundation.
What we found here
High; High; Low — Liquefaction Hazard Overlay. Mapped liquefaction susceptibility at moderate level or above — common on reclaimed and harbour-margin land.
If you're buying
The soils here are mapped as susceptible to liquefaction — where ground can lose strength during earthquake shaking. Common on Wellington’s reclaimed and harbour-margin land.
Insurance
EQC covers natural disaster damage but caps apply. Private insurers assess foundation and liquefaction risk separately.
On a LIM
A LIM may include geotechnical reports submitted with past building consents.
Next step
Not a substitute for a geotechnical report on fill or reclaimed land. Budget for engineered foundations if building or renovating.
Tsunami evacuation zone
Orange evacuation zone
Council map data
- Evacuation zone
- Orange zone — Evacuate promptly — regional-source tsunami risk
- Evacuation trigger
- Up to 5.0 m distant or regional source tsunami
- Coast section
- Wellington City and south coast
Matched within 30m of the geocoded address pin — not a full-title parcel search.
What this is
Tsunami evacuation zones are Civil Defence areas — red, orange, and yellow — showing how soon you must leave low-lying coastal land after a long or strong earthquake. They are about evacuation timing, not building consent rules (see district plan tsunami overlay separately).
What we found here
Orange evacuation zone. Within a tsunami evacuation zone — factor ground-floor living and access routes into your decision.
If you're buying
This property sits in a Civil Defence tsunami evacuation zone. The colour indicates how quickly you would need to evacuate after a long or strong earthquake.
Insurance
Tsunami damage may fall under EQC for residential properties in some circumstances — confirm with your insurer.
On a LIM
Unlikely to appear on a LIM directly, but your lawyer may want you aware of evacuation obligations.
Next step
Check WREMO evacuation maps. Factor ground-floor living and access routes into your decision.
Tsunami hazard overlay
High — Coastal Tsunami Hazard Overlay
Council map data
- Hazard ranking
- High
- Scenario
- 1:100 year scenario inundation extent with 1m sea level rise
- Matched overlay
- Tsunami — 1:100 year scenario (high hazard)
Matched within 30m of the geocoded address pin — not a full-title parcel search.
What this is
The district plan tsunami overlay shows modelled tsunami inundation for planning — 100-, 500-, and 1,000-year scenarios. It affects what council will allow you to build and is separate from Civil Defence evacuation zones.
What we found here
High — Coastal Tsunami Hazard Overlay. Within a district plan tsunami hazard overlay — compare with the Civil Defence evacuation zone result above.
If you're buying
The district plan tsunami hazard overlay marks modelled tsunami inundation at this location. This is the operative planning layer — distinct from Civil Defence evacuation zones.
Insurance
Plan hazard overlays can affect disclosure and insurer questions.
On a LIM
Confirm whether any building consents reference tsunami or coastal hazard conditions.
Next step
Compare with the tsunami evacuation zone layer. Understand both planning rules and evacuation requirements.
Likely unaffected
Nothing from these layers reaches the property. That is a genuinely good sign — but hazard maps are drawn at neighbourhood scale, so treat it as a clear first pass rather than a guarantee.
River flood (100-year)
Nothing mapped here
A river flood zone shows where GWRC’s hydrology model expects rivers and streams to spread water in a severe flood — roughly a 1-in-100-year event (1% chance per year). It is about rivers overtopping, not water rising from the sea.
At this address: This point is outside GWRC’s mapped 100-year river flood extent. That is a positive sign for river flooding on the regional model, though blocked drains or extreme local rainfall can still cause problems.
Source — Greater Wellington Regional Council — Regional Flood Exposure Model — 1% AEP
River flood (400-year)
Nothing mapped here
The 400-year flood layer is a larger, rarer river flood scenario used for infrastructure and long-term planning. It covers a bigger area than the 100-year layer.
At this address: Outside the 400-year regional river flood extent. Less relevant than the 100-year layer for day-to-day buying decisions.
Source — Greater Wellington Regional Council — Regional Flood Exposure Model — 0.23% AEP
Overland flowpath
Nothing mapped here
Overland flow is stormwater that runs across the ground surface when pipes and drains are overwhelmed — think water sheeting down a driveway or across a section in a downpour. The overlay marks where that flow is expected to travel.
At this address: No overland flowpath mapped across this location. Still worth checking drainage on site, especially on steep sections.
Source — Wellington City Council — district plan overlay (live ArcGIS)
Stream corridor
Nothing mapped here
A stream corridor is a protected buffer along a waterway — a creek, stream, or sometimes a piped channel. Council restricts building, earthworks, and vegetation clearing inside it to protect water quality and manage flood flows. Owning land in a corridor can limit extensions, decks, and landscaping.
At this address: Outside mapped stream corridors at this point. Very small channels may not appear on GIS — check the boundary if a watercourse is nearby.
Source — Wellington City Council — district plan overlay (live ArcGIS)
Coastal storm surge
Nothing mapped here
Coastal storm surge is temporary sea flooding driven by a severe storm pushing harbour water higher than normal — combined with high tide. It is not the same as river flood or tsunami; it is about the sea level rising during a storm.
At this address: Outside GWRC’s modelled 100-year storm surge extent. Typical for inland hills; harbour-margin suburbs are more often affected.
Source — Greater Wellington Regional Council — Storm surge — 1-in-100-year, present day sea level
Fault hazard overlay
Nothing mapped here
Fault hazard overlays — including the Wellington Fault corridor — mark land near active faults where ground can rupture or deform in a large earthquake. Building here often needs geotechnical reports, setbacks, and may face height or subdivision limits under the district plan.
At this address: Outside mapped fault hazard overlays, including the Wellington Fault corridor. Standard Wellington seismic design still applies to all structures.
Source — Wellington City Council — district plan overlay (live ArcGIS)
Regional context
These apply broadly across Wellington rather than to this address specifically, so they never move your result. They are here because they still shape how you should think about the property.
Earthquake groundshaking
Intensity 3 Moderate
Groundshaking intensity is a regional model of how hard the earth shakes in an earthquake relative to other parts of Wellington. Every address has some risk — this layer compares your area to the rest of the region, not whether your house will collapse.
At this address: Groundshaking intensity 3 Moderate on regional maps. Most of Wellington falls in the low–moderate range on this layer — expected on an active fault system.
Source — Greater Wellington Regional Council — Regional groundshaking model
Earthquake slope failure
Mapped — 1 Low
Slope failure susceptibility maps hillsides where earthquake shaking could trigger landslides or slope collapse. It is a regional guide — a steep section with poor drainage or failing retaining walls still needs inspection even if the map says low.
At this address: Slope susceptibility: 1 Low. Some slope susceptibility mapped — common across Wellington’s hill suburbs; inspect retaining structures if the section is steep.
Source — Greater Wellington Regional Council — Earthquake-induced slope failure susceptibility
Shallow landslide susceptibility
Nothing mapped here
Shallow landslide susceptibility shows where GWRC has mapped landslide-related features — typically shallow slips on hillsides. It is regional context; most flat urban sections read clear.
At this address: No landslide features mapped within the search buffer — typical for flat urban and harbour-margin land.
Source — Greater Wellington Regional Council — Landslide features — Emergencies_P layer 21
How to read this report
- The score is the worst layer, not an average
- One serious flood overlay will not be diluted by ten clear ones. That is deliberate — averaging hazards hides the thing you actually need to know.
- “Nothing mapped here” is not the same as “safe”
- It means the mapped hazard does not reach within 30m of the address pin. Blocked drains, failing retaining walls, and very local ground conditions do not appear on any of these layers.
- What this does not cover
- Title and boundaries, consent and complaint history, weathertightness, contamination, drainage condition, and any site-specific geotechnical testing. A LIM and a building inspection cover different ground to this report.
- Coverage
- Regional (GWRC) layers plus Wellington City Council district plan overlays. Checked as Wellington City.