Rhea Dasent: Higher rates unfair if farmland is rezoned

Rhea Dasent.

Federated Farmers believes rural-zoned land should be used for rural purposes, and other land uses should not infringe on primary production land.

Sounds simple, but it's not so straightforward in practice.

This is a legacy issue most of the time as early settlements are located on prime land close to a reliable water source and over time have spread to take over more fertile soil.

Industrial land use that spreads into the countryside needs to be managed. This must, however, be balanced with the need for appropriate industrial activities in the rural zone.

Some agricultural service industries should be located near rural customers. A rural mechanic can be a lifesaver when your baling machine breaks down and the weather window is closing.

If livestock trucking nearby, they can pen livestock overnight and dispose of truck effluent on-site.

Wineries and packhouses are industrial activities that need to be right next to the produce they are processing. All of these examples bolster primary production, even if they take up fertile soils.

Hastings District Council has just released proposals to expand the industrial zones by 118ha at the Irongate Maraekakaho Roads intersection and 63ha at Omahu Road.

This is to provide more industrial land so businesses can be concentrated in one area rather than scattered through rural areas.

While both of these areas have fertile soils and flat land which is ideal for cropping or horticulture, it is preferable to have industrial land that can accommodate Hastings' economic expansion in a controlled way.

For farmers and horticulturists who do not want to sell up even though they have been rezoned, rates can be a big problem.

Property values might 'rocket' if the property is valued on its potential use as subdivided industrial land rather than the present use of primary production.

Federated Farmers will be asking for a rates remission policy for any rezoned farmers.

- Rhea Dasent is a senior policy adviser for Federated Farmers