[ad_1]
“Different parts of our communities need different types of housing – one or two-bedroom, families, multi-family homes for community living, and research tends to show that mixed models are preferable to pensioner housing.”
Tripp said there are three areas where housing options could be expanded.
There is “a lot of unused space” above retailers on the city’s main arterial Victoria Avenue that could be used to build apartments. Tripp told Local Democracy Report.
“Think about the wider benefits of this – a vibrant and safe town centre, while also providing desirable options for certain parts of our community, for example, a 25-year-old gig economy worker who just wants a place to come and go.
“It’s about making the best of what we have and improving it. That way we can focus more on the metropolitan areas.”
The sharp rise in Whanganui land valuations has opened the door for infill housing development – subdividing existing residential properties to build one or more additional homes – particularly for owners with large tracts of land.
“The other part is getting local councils to make the process easier for people who want to build homes,” Tripp said.
The living district has also received attention from the mayor.
“A living block might have a house, a pig, a cow and a horse, but that’s it. We need to think about this differently. Living blocks are not necessarily productive.
“It’s important to keep productive land intact, but if they’re not productive, I’d also be interested in looking at 5,000 square metres and 10,000 square metres of lifestyle land.”
Housing growth will be a key aspect of the City Council’s Vision 2050 – and now that the long-term plan is complete, the Mayor is eager to get started on that thinking and planning.
At the same time, the committee also needs to consider the issue of green space.
“The regional planning review is now on our radar. We will be looking at spatial planning, how land is developed and exploited, how people are moved around from a transport perspective and where they live.
“We need to manage our development carefully and responsibly, not just today but also 10 or 15 years from now. That will include ensuring we have good infrastructure in place for the next 20 to 30 years, as well as realising our aspirations as a mature region.”
The 25-year vision will consider optimizing the use of natural resources such as rebuilt ports, wind and solar power, and building capacity for future industries.
“There are still a lot of things that need to be worked out,” Tripp said. “That includes how we use Te Awatu Pua (Whanganui River settlement) in a positive way and our Unesco designation as a city.”
The council could also look into developing a standalone housing model similar to Queenstown Lakes District Council’s Community Housing Trust, which aims to provide affordable housing.
Tripp said it was vital to get funding for housing construction, which requires new water and other services, roads, trails and green spaces.
“Developers need to pay for growth-related infrastructure through development contributions.”
LDR is a local news organisation co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
[ad_2]
Source link
