Friday 6th May 2022
Page 6
HOUSING GROWTH CONTINUES IN SELWYN WITH LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT By Anna Bensemann, Senior as the Enabling Housing Supply Planner, Baseline Group. and Other Matters Bill in late Selwyn District has long been 2021. This was quickly moved known as one of New Zealand’s through the Government process most rapidly growing districts, and given royal assent in late and this does not appear to be 2021, effectively becoming changing. Increasing demand for law. The RMA amendment new residential sections has requires Councils to amend seen the Council receiving plans allowing for greater multiple private plan changes intensification within existing seeking to rezone rural land qualifying urban areas. available for residential use and For the Selwyn District, this record numbers of resource and means some of the planning building consents. This has provisions contained in private resulted in significant growth plan changes and the Proposed around Darfield, Leeston, Selwyn District Plan may be Lincoln, Rolleston and required to change to give Prebbleton among other areas. effect to the RMA amendments In addition to private plan and may see greater density changes, the Council released a development in the centre of proposed district plan last year, existing townships. aimed at consolidating its Intensification of urban areas seventy plus residential zones raises issues of infrastructure to streamline the resource capacity, namely supply for consenting process with a water, disposal of wastewater simplified plan. This plan change and stormwater which are all has been notified with parties managed by the Council. These making a submission and further issues will require some quicksubmissions, and some hearings thinking solutions to enable the have already been held. RMA amendments to have a In response to a national genuine effect on housing shortage in affordable housing, supply shortages. In some the Government released a draft places, the major limiting factor amendment to the Resource to intensification will be the Management Act (RMA) known ability to service development with demands on infrastructure potentially exceeding the design capacity of the systems. The RMA amendments will allow for more buildings and greater densities that may not have been
anticipated by the residents in the townships. This may create amenity issues where one site is developed more intensively while neighbouring sites remain as a single dwelling with large yard areas. Unintended consequences of the RMA amendments such as reduced privacy and amenity values, or increased shading of neighbouring properties will now need to be incorporated into the proposed District Plan. As a result of the RMA amendments, Selwyn District Council will have to revise parts of the proposed district plan to align with the new National direction. All Councils have until August this year to notify the proposed changes to be incorporated into District Plans. Any changes are afforded an accelerated legislative process under the RMA amendment to ensure development opportunities become available swiftly. Despite this, it is likely to be some time before we see significant changes to Selwyn’s urban areas as a result of the Bill, and greenfield development in the traditional manner will continue to dominate the housing supply in the short term.
See advertisement in this issue for contact details.
Kieran Heenan kph@meareswilliams.co.nz
Anita Molloy-Roberts am@meareswilliams.co.nz W: www.meareswilliams.co.nz T: (03) 374 2547 Offices located at: Lincoln - 43 Gerald Street Rolleston - 80A Rolleston Ave Christchurch - 225 Papanui Rd
