24 August 2017

Media: Rotorua Daily Post

Topic: Housing Accord announcement

Inquiry

We just received this press release from Todd's office:

Local MP Todd McClay says Rotorua has today been added as a district eligible for a Special Housing Accord and that more homes are now one step closer.

This is an important next step in freeing up more land, addressing sluggish consenting times and building more houses faster, Mr McClay says.

Since proposing the SHA two months ago, I have been approached by land owners who have as many as 300 sections that could be freed up under an SHA.

This is the sort of growth Rotorua needs as our populations has increased significantly over the last 2 years.

Last year, just 121 new homes were consented in Rotorua, compared to 1695 in Tauranga. It's no wonder there has been pressure on the market.

I'm pleased that Rotorua Lakes Council has agreed to work with the Government on a partnership to build more homes in Rotorua.

Mr McClay says he proposed the accord because they have proved so successful in increasing housing supply in places like Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty.

Am I able to get a statement from Steve in relation to this next step in the housing accord?

Response

From Mayor Steve Chadwick:

It's great to have this formal acknowledgement of the challenges Rotorua faces as a result of the population growth we're experiencing, which has moved us to a medium growth area. The accord will open doors for us and today's process is an exciting step towards helping us address increasing housing and roading pressures.

We'll now continue to progress negotiations around details of the accord so we can get it in place as soon as possible and we look forward to working with landowners and developers to see how we can help them move forward with their plans.