Thames housing shortage ‘hurting us’ says business association

The Thames Business Association has expressed concerns around a lack of housing and too much red tape, which it says is hurting the town.

Thames Business Association has raised concerns that a lack of housing, along with red tape and bureaucracy is “hurting” the town.

The association has 300 members and addressed the Thames-Coromandel District Council with its concerns during Long-Term Plan (LTP) hearings on Thursday.

Thames Business Association (TBA) chairperson David Irons and chief executive Sue Lewis-O’Halloran spoke to the submission, listing cost of living, lack of housing and bureaucracy as key member issues.

Irons said a lack of housing was a major barrier to Thames, in particular.

“Any trip around the peninsula or reading of planned consents shows that there is considerable activity in the district – but not in Thames or Kopu.

“This is an area where we believe that the Long-Term Plan can address if the will of the council allows.

“This is a hot-button topic for our membership as attracting staff to an area with such constrained, aged, and inadequate housing is a major problem.”

Irons said the term business development was often used and asked what zoning changes had taken place to allow for progress.

“This has been raised before by the TBA and, until progress is made, it will continue to be a limiting factor to the future sustainability and growth of Thames and Kopu; the wonderful opportunity that the Kopu Marine Precinct offers could be undermined if it cannot be fully supported by a strong local workforce.”

The association submitted that there be targeted rates to support all business associations across the district, to continue supporting local business.

Irons and Lewis-O’Halloran were asked if they knew of any other councils which had targeted rates in place to support business associations.

Lewis-O’Halloran said a number of councils were receiving funding through targeted rates.

“We are pleading on behalf of business associations; we are not funding sustainable at this point.”

District councillor Peter Revell asked if the targeted rate would be on businesses, or everyone in the community.

Irons said it would be targeted at commercial property owners.

Revell asked if the association had surveyed its members.

Lewis-O’Halloran said between 80 and 90 per cent of members supported the targeted rate proposal.

Irons said all 300 members made contributions, and the association believed all members of the community subsequently benefited.

He said Kopu could potentially have a population of 3500 if more land was made available for development.

“Let’s open up the land.”

“So, the ask here is that the council adopts a more forward-looking, collaborative approach to planning and links the business development function into some measurable metric of change and success.”