Hamilton's first Special Housing Area approved

An aerial rendering of the plan for the Jebson Place special housing development. Image / Supplied

Hamilton's first Special Housing Area has received the green light from the Government, seven months after council signed off the city's Special Housing Act.

A Jebson Place development by Housing New Zealand and Waikato Tainui is planned to bring 80 homes to the currently vacant site in Hamilton East.

Special Housing Areas are a way to bring housing to the market more quickly, through an accelerated resource consenting process once they are gazetted. They are areas of land in the city (including sites not currently zoned for housing) that can be put forward for housing development by landowners or developers for consideration by the council.

Last month mayor Andrew King told city councillors that Minister of Housing and Urban Development Phil Twyford wants Hamilton to speed up its efforts to bring affordable housing to the city.

The minister wants the city to align as quick as possible with Labour's proposed KiwiBuild policy which is still being structured.

Mayor King is looking forward to seeing the plans come to life.

"The Government's support is critical for helping us to deliver more homes and this is a great first step. This project will bring more social housing as part of the Housing NZ scheme which is exactly what we need," he says.

"Special Housing Areas are an important tool for the city to bring more housing to the market."

The Jebson Place development will now be able to apply for resource consent under the new fast-track system available only to Special Housing Areas.

The council is having a meeting on May 10 to consider a number of new SHA proposals for presentation to the Government.

Defining Special Housing Areas (through the policy) is a way for the council to deliver on its commitments for increased housing supply and affordability outlined in the Housing Accord.

Hamilton City Council and the Government signed a Housing Accord in December 2016 as a way to increase housing supply and improve housing affordability in Hamilton.