18 June 2021
Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Housing for the elderly
Enquiry
I'm getting in touch as I'm working on a story with Age Concern Rotorua about how they are on the hunt for some land where they can have a pocket neighbourhood for elderly.
Is it possible please to get a few comments from an appropriate spokesperson to the comments below?
- Age Concern Rotorua is keen to create small-home models for elderly in a pocket neighbourhood (homes clustered in small neighbourhoods around a common green space) - how feasible is this idea? Are there requirements around tiny/small homes?
- Has the council had other people trying to do similar sorts of things, or build and live in tiny houses locally?
- How supportive or unsupportive is the current district plan in regards to ideas such as this one?
- Is there anything you would like to add?
Response
*Please note that without specific details we are unable to provide full information.
Response from Jason Ward Manager, Planning & Development Solutions
These types of villages are becoming more common. We are seeing a number of similar developments (not necessarily all tiny homes) getting underway in Rotorua, an example may be Lynmore Rise, so depending on what the village will look like and its location, it’s definitely a feasible idea.
Council’s Planning team are always keen to sit down with potential developers to discuss any ideas or plans that they may have and how those plans work with local regulations.
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Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Consents for new dwellings
Enquiry
I am working on a Westpac Regional Roundup economic story today which says the economy is performing strongly. Building has featured strongly and new consents.
I was hoping for a comment.
- In the past financial year how much has the Rotorua Lakes Council approved in dollar value in new dwelling consents?
- How is this financial year tracking for residential consents and has there been continual growth and why?
Response
See below info relating to building consents but please read through the notes first as these provide explanation and context relating to the figures provided.
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:
- “to date” – unless otherwise specified – is the financial year to 30 May 2021 (so 1 July 2020 to 30 May 2021 with one month to go in this current financial year)
- figures relating to ‘building consents’ (so all building consents including for new dwellings) include consents required for sewerage scheme connections and consents required for replacement/installation of fireplaces (there was a deadline for people in the Rotorua airshed to comply with new BOP Regional Council rules with regard to fireplaces) so these two types of consents caused a spike in last financial year’s building consent figures.
- figures relating to new dwelling consents (both number of and value of) include amendments to new dwellings (ie changes to building plans), transportable dwellings (built and consented in Rotorua but may be transported out of our district after being constructed), and conversions eg converting basement or garage to dwelling.
Breaking the numbers down into these various categories would take more time than your deadline today allows for sorry.
Building Consents
- The total value of building consents issued for the financial year to date is $191,197,039.
- The number of consents issued for new dwellings for the financial year to date is 234.
- The number of issued new dwellings in May 2021 was 25 with, at that time, approx 21 further consents for new dwellings being processed.
Subdivision Consents
- Number of consented lots (residential and lifestyle) issued for financial year to date is 157
- Number of consented lots (residential and lifestyle) issued during May 2021 is 14.
- Subdivision consents for a combined total of approx150 potential lots were being processed at time of reporting. This includes a number of subdivisions for social housing, lifestyle lots and greenfield residential.
- The number of additional houses (for example second house on one title / conversion of garage into a dwelling) consented during May 2021 is 21 (included are 5 additional and 3 replacement social houses).
Land Use Consents – summary (housing)
Number of consents issued compared with 2020
Consents | 2021* To May | 2020* To May | 2020*** Full Year |
---|---|---|---|
Number of Building Consents Issued | 1103 | 1218 | 1346 |
Value of Building Consents YTD | $191,197,039 | $126,848,787 | $136,475,157 |
New Dwellings Consented | 234 | 149 | 170 |
Number of Resource Consents Issued | 459 | 421 | 457 |
Subdivision Consented Lots Issued | 157 | 122 | 148 |
* Financial year (July 2020 – May 2021)
** Financial year (July 2019 – May 2020)
*** 2020 financial year (July 2019 – June 2020)
May 2021 statistics at a glance:
Consents for May | May Numbers |
Building Consents Issued | 140 |
Building Consents Currently Being Processed | 40 – changes daily |
New Dwellings Issued | 25 |
New Dwellings Being Processed | 25 |
Resource Consents Issued | 46 |
Subdivision Consents Issued | 13 |
Number of Consented (residential / rural lifestyle) Lots Issued | 14 |
Value of consents issued for new dwellings:
Last financial year ie 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020: $58,681,100
Current financial year to date ie 1 July 2020 to 17 June 2021: $78,763,000