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Plans for a 600-home development in Napier are still in the works, but a crucial deadline for the project has been missed.
It included plans to build more than 600 homes on a 22ha pieceof land next to Maraenui Park on the fringe of Napier.
The project met the criteria for a fast-tracked consent due to its potential to create many jobs and address the urgent need for affordable housing.
Ngāti Kahungunu construction company K3 Kahungunu Property was leading the project in partnership with private developer Tawanui Developments Ltd, and had hoped to start building homes as early as 2022.
The EPA has now stated the project can no longer proceed under the Government’s fast-tracking legislation because time has run out for the application to be lodged.
That means the project is essentially back to square one, and will have to go through normal consenting processes if it proceeds in future.
“We did not receive an application from the Riverbend Residential Development project,” an EPA spokesperson said.
Initial layout plans for the proposed development next to Maraenui Park. Photo / Ministry for the Environment
“As the Covid-19 Recovery (Fast-Track Consenting) Act 2020 has been repealed, the application cannot be processed under this legislation.
“Any referred or listed project applications had to be lodged with the Environmental Protection Authority by 11 January 2024.”
That act had a self-repeal date because it was set up primarily to help the country’s Covid recovery.
Tawanui Developments Ltd sole director David Colville told Stuff it would instead be lodged under the Government’s newly announced “fast-track consenting regime”, set to be introduced in Parliament by March 8 as part of its 100-Day Action Plan.
Ngāti Kahungunu iwi chairman Bayden Barber told Stuff the project was not dead, though the future of K3 Construction was uncertain due to cashflow issues last year.
“We thought it might have been dead towards the end of last year and the start of this year, but there’s still a heartbeat there,” Barber said of the development.
Napier City Council opposed the application for fast-tracking, noting concerns about flooding and the need for additional three-waters infrastructure.
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council noted the site was subject to several natural hazards, but was neutral on the application for fast-tracking.
The Ministry of Housing was a supporter of the project and even purchased some land for the development.
Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business, councils, breaking news and cyclone recovery. He formerly worked at News Corp Australia.
