An important step in potentially providing up to 5,000 new homes for Tasman district has begun, with 10 developments recommended by Tasman District Council for Infrastructure Acceleration Fund approval.
The potential developments are spread between Richmond South and West, Wakefield, Tākaka, Māpua and Motueka as well as two neighbouring developments located between Tasman village and Māpua, with each project potentially providing between 100 and 2,500 dwellings.
The IAF provides an opportunity to source significant external funding for affordable housing without a significant impact on the Council’s rate levels. The contestable Kāinga Ora-administered Fund is a key component of the Government’s $3.8 billion Housing Acceleration Fund announced in March.
To be eligible, infrastructure projects must be new or upgraded three waters, transport (including local roading, state highways, public transport infrastructure, footpaths and cycleways) or flood management infrastructure, which is primarily to enable new houses to be built within 10 years.
For Tasman District, an eligible project needs to enable at least 100 additional dwellings if it is in the Urban Environment (Richmond, Hope, Brightwater, Wakefield, Māpua and Motueka) or at least 30 dwellings for the rest of the district. In July, Council staff received 20 proposals from developers and Māori entities with 17 being initially assessed by Council.
Assessments were based on IAF criteria but also considered the likelihood of receiving consent, natural hazards, productive soils and consistency with the Future Development Strategy – 10 proposals were supported by the Council and Expressions of Interest were now being submitted to Kāinga Ora.
Kāinga Ora will notify the Council in October of the successful proposals with an invitation to the Request for Proposal (RFP) which closes in late December. Funding Agreements are scheduled to be finalised between March and October 2022.
Tasman District Council strategic policy manager, Dwayne Fletcher said co-operation from multiple developers and landowners in similar areas had been positive, with indications they are prepared to provide at least 20 percent affordable housing as requested by Council. These would be generally higher density and/or smaller homes, he said.
Mr Fletcher said some of the land was not zoned yet but was being considered for housing under the existing and new Future Development Strategies.
Tasman Mayor, Tim King said the level of infrastructure investment required in a high growth area was a challenge, and the IAF funding provided an opportunity to help make that investment more affordable to Council and the local community.
“These developments are spread around the district, catering for different community housing needs – there’s potential for around 4,000-5,000 homes in land that would be serviced if all areas were developed, and Kāinga Ora supported us,” Mayor King said.
“Most sites will also provide great opportunities to improve the surrounding environment – especially waterways – and to get around by walking, cycling or by proposed public transport.”
He said Tasman’s housing numbers had been on the increase in recent years, with 633 new dwellings consented in the year to May.
However, of the approximately 11,800 new dwellings required over the next 30 years, 60% of the homes would need to connect to Council’s infrastructure.
Mayor King said Council planned to enable growth within Tasman by investing $317 million in growth-related infrastructure over the next 30 years.
