Hanmer Springs Residential Subdivision
The Client
Searle Group is a family-based, 100% New Zealand-owned private company that has been operating for over 40 years. They stand by their core values of working with local contractors, producing excellent quality, and supporting growing communities. Specialising in residential property development and property investment, they offer residential subdivisions, house and land packages, and rental properties. With a presence nationwide, they have a commitment to excellence in residential property development and investment.
Eliot Sinclair was engaged to assess the risks associated with natural hazards and evaluate the suitability of a site for a proposed residential subdivision.
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Client
Searle GroupServices
- Geotechnical Engineering
The Challenge
Our client needed to identify and locate key geotechnical hazards on the proposed subdivision site. They required expert advice on mitigating these hazards to ensure the safety and viability of their development project. A significant concern was the presence of an active fault mapped close to the subdivision area, necessitating further investigation to determine if the subdivision design needed adjustments to minimize the risk of damage from fault rupture.
Our Solution
Eliot Sinclair implemented a thorough and systematic approach:
Initial Assessment and Investigation:
We began with a detailed desktop review and conducted targeted trench excavations, up to 30 meters in length and 3 meters deep, to assess any visible evidence of fault rupture in the shallow alluvial soils.
Analysis and Mitigation Planning:
The results of the investigation were inconclusive regarding the fault rupture, prompting us to recommend a potential fault avoidance zone. We minimized the impact on the overall development by designing the subdivision layout to include setback distances for future dwellings and preferentially locating reserves across the potential fault zone.
Engineering Geological Model:
We established an engineering geological model to determine the likelihood of the fault trace being present under the subdivision area. This model informed our recommendation for a fault avoidance zone to mitigate the risk of fault rupture directly impacting future lot sites
Comprehensive Hazard Assessment:
In addition to addressing the fault rupture risk, we assessed other natural hazards, including the risks of inundation and subsidence. We provided the client with detailed recommendations for inundation, subsidence, and erosion control.
The Outcome: Shape Community
By identifying geotechnical hazards and providing practical advice, Eliot Sinclair enabled our client to develop their land safely and effectively. The completion of this project has had a positive knock-on effect, promoting future community resilience and demonstrates how our expert geotechnical engineering services can support safe and sustainable property development.
