Ōhakune lobbyists call on new Government to stall housing project

Opponents of an Ōhakune housing development believe it will have a negative impact on the town's iconic Carrot Adventure Park.

Ōhakune’s famous Carrot Adventure Park will not face the threat of closure if a proposed housing development goes ahead.

The president of a lobby group opposing a 44-home development opposite the park has claimed the Carrot Park Trust would be dissolved if the Ruapehu District Council, Kāinga Ora and Ngāti Rangi go ahead with a partnership agreement to build on the council-owned land in Teitei Drive.

However, Carrot Park Trust chairman Ron Frew said he had promised to resign if the development went ahead but his position did not mean the trust would be dissolved.

“It’s my personal position and the other members will make their own decisions,” he said.

“I strongly feel that the facility is a destination park rather than a community park. If there is a housing development nearby it will change the very nature of it.”

The lobby group, previously named Save Ōhakune, has formed the incorporated Ōhakune Ratepayers and Residents Society and its president Barry Murphy has written a letter to the incoming housing minister describing the development’s potential to “turn the safe Ōhakune district into a haven for gangs and crime”.

Murphy, who owns three Airbnb properties in Ōhakune, said the development, which was now at the resource consent stage, would have a detrimental impact on the town which has a population of just over 1500.

“We have grave concerns over the damage and divide being caused to our community and the long-lasting effects this project will cause to our tourism, our jobs and the safety [and] wellbeing of our small rural town for generations to come,” he said.

Murphy, on behalf of the society, is requesting the incoming Government put the project on hold “to verify the viability and legality of the contracts, delegations, consultation [and] transparency requirements of the Local Government Act”.

The Teitei Drive project would include 15 social housing dwellings, 14 proposed to be built for workers to rent long-term and another 15 would be affordable homes for purchase.

The Ōhakune Ratepayers and Residents Society has expressed concerns that there is the possibility for more than 140 more dwellings to be built on the land and they anticipate Kāinga Ora tenants will be relocated from other regions.

Ruapehu Mayor Weston Kirton said while he respected the rights of citizens to express their views, he believed the concerns about the likely impacts of the housing were unfounded.

“People who live in the community and have invested their time and money in Ōhakune are entitled to have concerns and express their views of course,” he said.

“However, the land on Teitei Drive was designated for housing in the council’s long-term plan and there had been no objections raised to that. There are no plans to develop the rest of the land at this stage.”

Kirton said he had campaigned and been elected on his commitment to facilitate the improvement of housing quality and supply in the district and the Teitei Drive development would provide a range of housing options.

A majority of councillors voted in favour of the development in September; however, some believed the proposal needed to “sit on the table” until community concerns were addressed.

Councillor Rabbit Nottage said he was one of those councillors but his concerns were about ensuring local contractors would be first considered to carry out the work.

“I want to make it clear that I support the plan; however, I want to see local businesses given priority ahead of out-of-town contractors. I also want to assure locals that I’m not making the point out of self-interest,” he said.

“Although I have a contracting business, it’s not the sort of work I normally do - I’m just looking out for locals.”

Nottage said he had additional concerns about the proposed entranceway to the development and thought a better option would be to access the site from a council-managed road rather than State Highway 49.

“I was told it would be too costly but I believe it would be a safer, easier-to-manage option in the long run.”

The mixed model development in Ōhakune will provide housing for first-home buyers and rental accommodation as well as public housing. Photo / Bevan Conley

One of the concerns raised by the community lobby was that the housing would attract an influx of people from other districts as the number of Ōhakune residents on the social housing register was fewer than 15 families.

Kāinga Ora’s regional director Graeme Broderick said the need for more housing had been clearly identified.

“As of September 2023, around 60 [Ruapehu] applicants with an urgent housing need are on the Ministry of Social Development’s [MSD] housing register, including 10 whānau already living in Ōhakune,” he said.

“Ruapehu District Council has 34 applicants on its housing register for social housing in Ōhakune and six applicants for Raetihi.”

Broderick said research by the council and Ngāti Rangi suggested these numbers only captured the “tip of the iceberg” for housing needs.

“Many whānau are living in substandard conditions but are not registering on official lists due to the known lack of available public housing stock. Through our work in the community, we have spoken to many local families living in overcrowded or substandard accommodation – and who are not on the MSD housing register – indicating there is a higher need than the numbers show.”

Kāinga Ora staff worked to place whānau in locations that best suited their needs and preferences, including locations they had a connection to, Broderick said.

MSD general housing manager Karen Hocking said clients may be informed of additional letting areas available; however, the department did not actively encourage people to move to those areas.

“MSD looks after assessments for the public housing register.

“We do not match people to available housing. This is the role of Kāinga Ora and other housing providers.”

Broderick said it was disappointing a small lobby group was spreading incorrect information about the proposed development.

“We have communicated to this group, and the wider community, that there is no intention to tenant the public homes with whānau who have no ties to the Ōhakune community, yet the group persists in spreading incorrect information.

“At this time, Kāinga Ora and the partner agencies are continuing to work together to progress the development through the resource consent process.”

Liz Wylie is a multimedia journalist for the Whanganui Chronicle. She joined the editorial team in 2014 and regularly covers stories from Whanganui and the wider region. She also writes features and profile stories.