Habitat for Humanity northern region chief executive Conrad LaPointe (right) said the Government’s granny flat plans allowed people more flexibility to build on their own land.
Habitat for Humanity northern region chief executive Conrad LaPointe (right) said the Government’s granny flat plans allowed people more flexibility to build on their own land.
Northland district councils have raised concerns about the Government’s plan to make it easier for people to build granny flats.
The changes will force councils to permit smalldwellings on rural and residential zones without resource consent.
The Far North District Council has made a submission opposing the move, saying it “endangers the health and wellbeing of people living in the Far North”.
Council delivery and operations group manager Kevin Johnson said the submission was made “due to the risks this could pose to home-buyers, renters, and ratepayers in the Far North”.
Johnson said the main risk was that when a building consent was not required, construction involved “little or no council oversight”.
“This increases the risk of homes not being fit for purpose, i.e. not being structurally sound or weather-tight.
“While the nationwide pressure on housing supply is a particular concern in the Far North, our building experts believe that allowing the construction of larger buildings to be exempt from the guidance of council building experts endangers the health and wellbeing of people living in the Far North.
“Many building manufacturers do an excellent job and produce compliant buildings, but unscrupulous operators are a reality in a tight housing market.”
Johnson said that as a local authority, “it is the duty of our building services team to safeguard residents from substandard building stock”.
Currently, buildings of up to 30sq m are exempt from obtaining a building consent.
However, any design or construction work done using this exemption must be carried out or supervised by a licensed building practitioner.
The Government is proposing to extend this rule to include buildings up to 60sq m.
Final policy decisions will be made later this year, with the legislative changes expected to be in place from mid-2025.
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said making it easier to build granny flats would make it more affordable for families “to live the way that suits them best”.
“Over a quarter of households that do not own their home spend more than 40% of their income on housing.
“High housing costs have a greater impact on Māori, Pasifika, and people with disabilities, as well as seniors – so unlocking the space in the backyards of family members opens the door to new ways of living.
“We know granny flats are a great option for seniors, but they’re also increasingly popular with other families such as those who want homes where their university-age children can live at home but maintain some privacy and independence, or families who want to provide extra support to a loved one.”
A Kaipara District Council spokeswoman said the council supported the Government’s proposal “in general”.
However, it had “some concerns about the intended consequences of unregulated buildings and how any issues will be managed”.
In a draft submission, its policy and planning manager Katherine Overwater said there was “a future risk to council that unregulated buildings may become an issue”.
“Substandard buildings have significant unintended consequences for future landowners, banks, tenants, insurance companies, and council,” Overwater said.
“If the proposal does proceed, the criteria to be included in both the Building Act and the RMA needs to be well considered to mitigate any future risks to council.”
“It gives people more flexibility to be able to build on their own land to provide housing, whether for extended family or to rent,” northern region chief executive Conrad LaPointe said.
“It cuts a lot of red tape away to enable more housing to be built that meets people’s needs.”
Whangārei District Council Mayor Vince Cocurullo said the council supports moves that provide for a wider range of affordable, safe housing.
However, LaPointe said “infrastructure constraints” such as access to services, need to be considered. Families should also have support to build on their land, he said.
“Some people are better equipped to take on a development and the risks of building something new, than others.
“There should be strong support mechanisms for people who need their hands held to enable additional housing on their land.”
Whangārei District Council Mayor Vince Cocurullo said the council hasn’t made a submission on the plan, though “we support moves that provide for a wider range of affordable, safe housing”.
“We would want any new scheme to be set up to manage the effects and risks that would normally be managed through resource and building consent processes.
“Ultimately, we want to avoid unintended consequences for homeowners and councils.
“Measures should ensure that buildings are built to code using qualified plumbers, electricians and builders, and that the correct processes are followed, and fees are paid when the buildings are connected to council infrastructure.”
Jenny Ling is a news reporter and features writer for the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering roading, lifestyle, business, and animal welfare issues.
