Tauriko Business Estate, pictured in 2021, is an area being eyed for major housing development. Photo / George Novak
Tauriko Business Estate, pictured in 2021, is an area being eyed for major housing development. Photo / George Novak
Kāinga Ora is considering invoking significant new powers to fast-track housing development on Tauranga's western fringe.
The announcement by the Government housing agency came after a plea from Tauranga City Council for help amid predictions a shortage of homes could spiral to 43,000 by 2048.
Kāinga Ora announced ithas selected Tauranga's Tauriko West, Keenan Rd and Tauriko Business Estate's lower Belk Rd extension for assessment as a potential Specified Development Project under the Urban Development Act 2020. This area was also referred to as the Western Corridor.
In 2020, Kāinga Ora was granted development powers to initiate and undertake large-scale comprehensive urban development under the Act.
The powers circumvent Resource Management Act (RMA) complications by consolidating all the separate paperwork needed for the area as one project, and potentially speeding up the development process by streamlining it.
The Act also lets Kāinga Ora compulsorily acquire land for specified works and transfer this to a developer. Land can also be taken to be used for another specified work different from its initial purpose. These powers don't apply to Māori land.
In a statement, council commissioner Stephen Selwood said the council had found it hard to make "substantive progress" in enabling development in the area.
"The size and scale of the planned growth, necessary investment in infrastructure and complexity of structure planning and rezoning under the Resource Management Act has slowed development in the Western Corridor," Selwood said.
The area was identified by SmartGrowth as a key to meeting Tauranga's housing shortfall, expected to reach 43,000 by 2048 when the city's population was projected to hit 250,000. About 80 per cent of that growth was expected to be within Tauranga city.
SmartGrowth is a collective of local councils, tangata whenua and other agencies.
Earlier this week, the Bay of Plenty Times reported the housing shortfall was expected to reach up to 9000 within 10 years if urgent action was not taken.
Selwood said the city was the only metropolitan area in New Zealand that could not comply with Government housing supply requirements and an upfront agreement on planning, infrastructure and funding was "critical".
Te Tuinga Whanau Support Services executive director Tommy Wilson. Photo / George Novak
Te Tuinga Whanau Support Services executive director Tommy Wilson said the announcement was fantastic news for the 600 or so families and individuals the charity organisation worked with.
"The key to making this work is the connection between the frontline and the Government. Whether it's local or national government, if we are in sync we will get a really good maximum outcome.
"But without that, the numbers [of homeless] will continue to swell."
Wilson said he held great hope that Tauranga's CBD would be able to house more people in low-cost, multi-storey apartments in the near future.
With the addition of the extra housing in Tauriko, "we've got a really good blueprint to do what we've always wanted for the city, to make Tauranga Moana the first homeless-free community in Aotearoa".
"This is a beautiful beacon of hope."
Kāinga Ora general manager of urban planning and design Katja Lietz said the project provided a "significant opportunity" and could facilitate future collaboration by "bringing together a clear development plan aligning land-use planning, infrastructure planning and funding".
It was hoped the assessment would establish whether a Specified Development Project was the right tool to help support "a well-planned, high-quality urban development that meets the needs of the community", Lietz said.
It was unclear how long the assessment would take but once it was complete, Kāinga Ora was expected to recommend to ministers whether a Specified Development Project should be established.
