Keep high rise out of J’ville

By Frank Neill

Buildings higher than six storeys should not be allowed in the housing area around central Johnsonville, Warren Taylor said when presenting a submission on behalf of the Johnsonville Community Association (JCA) on the second round of hearings on the proposed Wellington City District Plan.

And the JCA wants the Johnsonville rail line to be upgraded, so that it is in fact a rapid mass transit service, before high density housing is implemented in Johnsonville and along the rail corridor, he said.

After two years of telling the public that the “High Density Residential Zone” height limit was “up to six storeys”, Wellington City Council now recommends changing the wording to become “at least six storeys”.

“The JCA has provided, in its submission

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“Accordingly, we ask that the ‘at least six storeys’ recommendation be rejected by the Commission,” he said.

“The JCA is concerned that a significant loss to neighbouring home owners will occur when developers build their six storey (or higher) high-density accommodation buildings next to residential homes that are either one or two storeys high.

“That significant loss is due to the loss of: amenities (particularly sunlight, light, as well as privacy, views, tranquillity), and financial value from residential home owners’ properties.

“The New Zealand Motu study, which was carried out on Wellington properties during 2008 to 2014, found that for each hour of sunlight loss, a property’s value decreased by 2.4%.

“So, if a property loses, say, five hours of sunlight per day then the market value of a $1,000,000 home would fall to $880,000.”

The JCA recommended that the loss of amenity value, and in particular sunlight, “could and should be mitigated by putting in place a compensation framework for neighbouring residents in outer suburbs who suffer a loss of amenity and value due to nearby high-density housing and new building developments.

“This then would create a win-win outcome for the developer and neighbouring residents in the outer suburbs,” Mr Taylor said.

“We believe that compensation framework would help to: promote developments, and would result in fairer and equitable outcomes for all parties affected by high density housing and other building development initiatives,” he added.

“There are three areas where the JCA would like the Commission to consider whether firm rules should be in place to protect the following: the maximisation of sunlight in a high density housing environment, and the minimisation of shading in a high density housing environment, and appropriate setting of both recession planes and building setbacks to achieve the latter two outcomes.”

“In relation to permeability and stormwater issues we want these to be in place to fully and successfully manage huge rainfall events as we live through the 21st century.

“High density housing is very likely to cover the ground in concrete severely exacerbating the effects of huge rainfall events.

“The provision of green space will considerably help with these events and also address other concerns,” Mr Taylor said.

“Johnsonville has had its central residential area zoned as a Medium Density Residential Area (MDRA) since 2013.

“This zoning was intended to increase medium density infill housing in the MDRA.

“Since that time a number of noncompliant and substandard multi-unit developments have been built in the Johnsonville MDRA area, Mr Taylor said,

“That most multi-unit developments exceed the permitted planning rules are a major concern to the JCA.

“We note that developments that go beyond the rules are mostly permitted without notification.

“The reasonable expectations of residents who assume the rules will protect their interests are therefore not met.”

Wellington City Council planning officers had permitted every one of those developments on a non-notified basis, claiming “effects are less than minor”.

Any proposal that breached the building height rules needs to be publicly notified and subject to consultation with neighbouring home owners, Mr Taylor said.