Council backs controversial Mount special housing area

Golden Grove Holiday Park on Girven Rd has been sold. Photo/file

Tauranga City Council has this afternoon agreed to recommend to the Minister of Housing that a Special Housing Area (SHA) be established over a popular Mount Maunganui camping ground.

The special housing area will be created at 73 Girven Road, currently known as Golden Grove Kiwi Holiday Park.

In a statement released this afternoon, the council stated that establishing a SHA would allow the developer, SNG Investments No 2 Limited, to propose a more intensive form of mixed use development and make the best use of the site's size and location.

The proposed development would consist of approximately 66 two and three level townhouses and apartments, as well as a cafe and childcare facility.

The council consulted with the neighbouring community on this proposal in December and received feedback from 42 parties. The main concerns expressed by residents revolved around traffic and parking, the height of the proposed development and overshadowing, and potential flooding issues.

The recommendation to the Minister of Housing will retain the prescribed height within the Suburban Residential Zone in the City Plan - which is 9m - with the exception of a location towards the centre of the area where height will be limited to 11.5m. The proposal includes setting the proposed higher buildings back by 11m to 14m from the site boundary, in order to reduce overshadowing and loss of residential amenity.

The council stated that should the SHA be approved by the Minister of Housing, the developer would then be able to lodge a qualifying development with the council to consider.

A qualifying development would need to include detailed information such as a traffic impact assessment and stormwater management. The qualifying development lodged with the council will be assessed and considered on its own merits.