Te Puke is growing, and like many places across New Zealand the housing available doesn't suit everyone's needs.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council is making changes that will make it easier for the people of Te Puke to build the kind of houses that the town needs – including houses for older people, renters and seasonal workers, and houses suited to multi-generational whānau living.

A community conversation on Council's new online hub – Your Place - has been launched to understand what the Te Puke community most wants and needs in new housing.

The opportunity to work on Te Puke's housing supply was prompted by the Government's new law (Enabling Housing Supply Amendment Act), which provides Council and the Te Puke community with an opportunity to make the legislation work for Te Puke.

Council's senior policy analyst Jodie Rickard says the new law [Enabling Housing Supply Amendment Act] requires Councils like the Western Bay to replace local housing rules – with new rules that allow people to build more homes and different kinds of homes.

This new law applies to towns that don't have enough houses to meet demand, including Te Puke [and Ōmokoroa addressed separately].

'This means that people who want to develop their land, will be able to build homes that meet the new rules without needing a resource consent, allowing more homes to be built faster.

'You can add a unit to your backyard, build up three storeys and build townhouses – all without needing a resource consent. It will also be easier to subdivide land at the same time as completing a build.

'We're expecting to see an increase in properties with more than one home on them, more units in backyards and more redevelopment of properties where an existing house may be replaced with a number of new houses.”

Benefits also include, increased affordability, increased access to employment, transport, community facilities, less urban sprawl and easier multi-generational family living.

However, all this will mean that some of Te Puke's neighbourhoods may look a little different in a few years time.

While the changes must happen, we need the community's input to shape and plan the specifics, such as where housing of four storeys or more could be developed, encouraging the particular kinds of housing we need more of (e.g. many generations of whānau living together), and ensuring we grow and protect the things we love about Te Puke.

Council wants to know:

-What makes Te Puke a great town to live in?

-What types of housing does Te Puke need most?

-What challenges could more houses and more people bring for the town?

-Imagine if townhouses and units are built on your street. What needs to happen to ensure the street remains a great place for everyone to live?

'We need the Te Puke community to really get involved and share their ideas and experiences. These changes will affect the next decade of planning so it's really important we get this right.”

All of Te Puke's current residential area will be subject to the new changes.

You can provide feedback in a number of ways

Wānanga ipurangi (online)- take part in a survey or digital pin board online on www.westernbay.govt.nz/yourplace

Kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) - attend a community conversation event at the Te Puke Memorial Hall on Tuesday, April 26, from 2-5pm, or Wednesday, April 27, from 4-7pm to provide your feedback in person.

Pepa mārō (hard copy) - fill out a feedback form at the Te Puke library and service centre.

Council will use feedback to draft a ‘plan change' to adopt in its District Plan.

Then, it'll share the draft with the community in June 2022 to check they've got it right for Te Puke, prior to formal notification in August.

Community feedback is open until midday Friday, April 29.