End-of-year target for Gisborne's housing strategy

GROWING POPULATION: And with that comes the need for houses. Future Development Strategy lead Shane McGhie says with the population expected to grow in the next 30 years, a Housing Business Assessment projects Tairawhiti will need nearly 5000 new homes in that time. Picture by Ben Cowper

Gisborne's housing crisis will be addressed through a new strategy to free up land for 5000 houses.

Gisborne District Council's Future Development Strategy (FDS) has started and will have “a huge influence on Tairāwhiti's growth and housing development over the next 30 years,” the council said.

“Tairāwhiti has a housing crisis and the FDS is one of the tools to solve it,” strategy lead Shane McGhie said.

“Working alongside Barker & Associates, who have a proven track record in urban development planning, the council plans to have the strategy completed by the end of the year.

“With the population expected to grow in the next 30 years, a recently-completed Housing Business Assessment projects Tairāwhiti will need nearly 30 percent more houses in that time. That's around 5000 new homes.

“Almost half of Tairāwhiti's population doesn't earn enough money to buy or rent a house,” Mr McGhie said. “This will get worse unless something is done about it.”

“One solution is allowing housing intensification to occur in the right places and in the right way.

“Redeveloping existing urban areas and building smaller but high-quality dwellings, can bring housing costs down and help create connected communities.”

To make up the existing shortfall and provide for the increased demand, areas need to be identified that are suitable for housing growth.

Once completed, the FDS will map-out where and how different types of development can occur.

This will guide how zoning and rules are changed in the Tairāwhiti Plan.

Mr McGhie said community involvement was key to this process.

“We need to work together to solve this housing crisis and we'll be working with iwi and asking for community input throughout the development of the FDS”.

“All this hard mahi is to plan for the best possible outcomes for our community and while the strategy covers residential, commercial, and industrial land, there's particular focus on providing affordable housing options.

“It's important to carefully plan for this sort of growth. If managed well, growth can bring about benefits for the whole community.”

GDC will run community information sessions soon.

“In the meantime, you can suggest where growth should occur.”

To nominate a potential growth area go to bit.ly/35qA9Nv or email the team at trmp@gdc.govt.nz.

Growth site nominations will be open throughout March with a full public consultation on a draft strategy due in September.

GDC intends the strategy to be operational before the end of the year.