Fast track housing re-signed

Minister for building and construction Nick Smith has signed the new Tauranga housing accord. Photo: Supplied.

Tauranga City Mayor Greg Brownless and Minister for Building and Construction Dr Nick Smith re-signed the Tauranga Housing Accord enabling the ongoing fast tracking of new housing developments.

With the signing of the new Accord, developers are now able to approach Tauranga City Council for a further three years with requests to consider new Special Housing Areas.

Over the two years covered by the previous Accord, 11 Special Housing Areas were established, with a total potential yield of 2,970 dwellings – far exceeding the target of 1,400. As of October 2016, a total of 989 new sections had been consented and 198 building consents issued, with more applications in the pipeline.

The Housing Accord is an agreement between the city council and the Government to work together to address housing supply issues, notably by identifying and fast-tracking development in Special Housing Areas. Special Housing Areas help accommodate the fast-paced growth of Tauranga City by bringing more housing to the market faster, in areas where there is already suitable infrastructure in place or plans for it to be built.

The new Tauranga Housing Accord sets revised targets for land and housing supply, as below:

Residential sections in 2017; 1,500 – 1,600. 2018; 1,550 – 1,650. 2019; 1,600 – 1,700

New dwelling consents in 2017;1,700 – 1,800. 2018; 1,750 – 1,850, 2019; 1,800 – 1,900

This compares to 1,479 sections created and 1,663 new dwelling consents issued in 2016 (actual to October and projected to December), the local building industry's most buoyant year since 1997. The targets are premised on current market conditions remaining similar over the following three years. Should there be a change in the market conditions or other relevant factors, these targets may be reviewed and new targets agreed between the Government and the Council.

Mayor Greg Brownless says the continued implementation of the Tauranga Housing Accord is an important way for council to support the provision of more affordable housing.

'Tauranga has issues related to housing affordability. The median house price is now 7.45 times the value of the median income. To be considered affordable I'm told this should be 3 or less” says Greg. 'Housing affordability is a complex issue that requires consideration of wider issues, all of which this Accord doesn't address.

'What the Accord will do is assist in providing a well-functioning housing market with sufficient housing supply to meet the demand.”

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2 comments

Mayor Brownless hasn't done his own research

Posted on 23-12-2016 23:15 | By Murray.Guy

Mayor Brownless hasn't done his own research, likely recycling staff spin. It is NO secret that Tauranga City Council has NOT made any effort to secure more affordable or more cost efficient housing through it's abuse of the 'Special Housing Area' legislation. It has used it solely to undermine the RMA and local democracy and the City Plan, and in doing so increased the profits or selected developers and enhanced the Council rate take. This has been confirmed previously by Mayor Crosby. The developments did not need to be for low-cost housing, affordable housing or social housing to be approved as a special housing area.


Special Housing Areas

Posted on 02-01-2017 12:28 | By Cydifor

sounds scarily like a potential slum - 'affordable housing' - is this to become the Flaxmere of Tauranga. I remember one young homeless mother refusing to move there, she would rather remain homeless, which shows the courage she has to create a better life for her children.


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