High-density motel housing turned down

JONATHAN DOW
A high-density residential conversion in Hastings that a Napier developer says would allow younger and lower-income people to become homeowners has been blocked.
Businessman Rodney Green, one of Hawke's Bay's wealthiest men, wants to convert Arana Motel on Karamu Road, Hastings, into 15 residential units.
But although council officers recommended the conversion be allowed to go ahead, the application was declined by the hearings committee of the Hastings District Council yesterday.
Creating 15 units on the 3033 square metre site would have created a density of one unit for every 112 square metres. That does not meet the Hastings district plan, which requires a 350 square metre net site area for every residential development.
It was "trying to put too much - too many people - onto such a small piece of land", chairwoman Dinah Williams said before the hearings committee voted 5-2 to decline the application.
With so many people proposed for the site with "so much asphalt", Mrs Williams said she was not satisfied that the effect on the surrounding environment would be minor or that the application was not contrary to the objectives and policies of the council's plan.
"I would hope that someone who suffers from depression never buys into that type of development," she said.
Hastings councillor Norm Speers and Tutira's Tim Tinker voted in favour of the application.
Mr Tinker said the proposed body corporation would provide protection for neighbours. Mr Speers said there were other developments just as dense and the amenity issues were not as great as other committee members made out.
Mr Green, who owns applicant Alexander Construction (HB) Ltd, said he was "absolutely dumbfounded" by the decision.
He said the committee had listened to the nine submissions opposing the application but ignored the recommendation of senior environmental planner Richard Watkins, the Hastings District Council officer responsible for the application, to grant consent for the units.
"The Woolshed Apartments (in Havelock North) were approved - with a lot of opposition. The only difference I can see is price and location," Mr Green said.
(In April last year the Woolshed Apartments was given consent to be converted to residential units, despite failing to meet the district plan's density requirement).
He said "a total mix of people" lived in units of the type he proposed. They were targeted at the recently divorced or people who could not otherwise afford to enter the residential property market. Just because you could buy a unit for $75,000 did not mean they were occupied by "low socio-economic" people, as some people who opposed his application feared, Mr Green said.
Mr Green has recently subdivided the Tropicana and Snowgoose Lodge on Kennedy Road, Napier, where he is also converting Marewa Lodge into residential units.
Mrs Williams said the amenity of the proposed units was her main concern.
"Where will the children play?" asked Cr Keriana Poulain. There are 13 motel units, a manager's dwelling, swimming pool and outdoor area on the 3033sq m site at the moment.
Earlier this year opponents of the development had distributed flyers around Mayfair saying it would house "lower socio-economic families" and hurt property values.