Rotorua emergency housing: Thousands of submissions made on motels' future

The motels that are seeking resource consent to be Government-contracted operators for emergency housing. Photos / Andrew Warner

More than 3600 submissions have been received from people wanting a say on the Government's future use of motels for emergency housing in Rotorua.

The "massive" number has been met with jubilation by those campaigning against emergency housing in motels, who say it is a reflection of how passionate the community is about the issue.

There are 12 resource consent applications from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development before the Rotorua Lakes Council. They aim to make Government-contracted emergency housing motels compliant with the district plan for up to the next five years.

The public were allowed to have their say on the applications and the council has now confirmed it received 3656 submissions - 80 per cent of which were opposed to the motels being given resource consent.

The recent hearing process over the council's proposal to sell 10 reserve sites for housing attracted 639 submissions and it took four days to hear in-person submitters.

The number of submissions on the motel applications does not reflect the number of submitters, as some people or groups may have made separate submissions for each motel.

Council planning and development solutions manager Jason Ward said staff were preparing a summary of submissions for the three independent commissioners appointed to make a final decision on the applications.

That would help determine the size and length of the hearing and the commissioners would direct the council about the process and set a date, Ward said.

All submitters who have asked to speak to their submission will have the opportunity to do so at the hearing and will be notified of the details and their allocated time.

Resident advocate Jenny Peace. Photo / Andrew Warner

Resident advocate Jenny Peace, who started a petition to get the resource consent period publicly notified, said the number of submissions blew her away.

"That is fantastic. It just shows how people feel about this. I'm really pleased it's got this traction. It's easy to moan about something but there must be a lot of emotion out there to take the time and go through this submission process."

Restore Rotorua chairman Trevor Newbrook. Photo / Andrew Warner

Lobby group Restore Rotorua chairman Trevor Newbrook said the number of submissions was "massive".

"It tells me people are really pissed off with what is going on here."

Newbrook said only 10 submissions were made on the council's annual plan yet thousands of submissions were received over the emergency housing motel issue.

"That number will have to mean something to the commissioners."

Newbrook said he wanted to thank everyone who took the time to write how they felt, whether they were for this proposal or against it as it was such an important decision for the future of Rotorua.

"It is exceptional there were that many. I hope it is a wake-up call to the Government and the council to do something about this situation."

Contracted motels are part of the Government's shake-up of the emergency housing system announced for Rotorua last year.

Motels already operating under ministry contracts are unlawful as the district plan only consents them to have short-term visitors staying.

The resource consent applications aimed to remedy that situation, given emergency housing clients often stay for several months.

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The motels seeking consent include RotoVegas Motel, Midway Motel, Malones Motel, Geneva Motor Lodge and Ascot on Fenton, which are all on Fenton St - the main southern entrance to Rotorua.

The other motels are Union Victoria Motel on Victoria St, Pohutu Lodge on Mead St, Newcastle Motor Lodge on Ward Ave, Lake Rotorua Hotel on Lake Rd, Apollo Hotel on Tyron St, Alpin Motel on Sala St and Ann's Volcanic Motel on Malfroy Rd.

Each application states how many occupants and motel units the motels can cater for.

If all 12 motels got the go-ahead, they would be approved to have 1008 occupants in 301 motel units.

Each application stated it was for resource consent to use the site and existing buildings for contracted emergency housing for five years.

The applications also said there would be on-site support service providers and 24/7 security. Six of the motels would come under Visions of a Helping Hand, three under Wera Aotearoa and three with Emerge Aotearoa.

In a written statement, Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga – Ministry of Housing and Urban Development said it encouraged submissions as part of a notifiable consent process.

"We are pleased that so many submitters have come forward."