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Bin Enquiry FormDistrict Plan Change 43 will permit medium density residential housing of up to three storeys in eight suburban areas that have good access to transport, shopping, schools and parks. It will also reduce barriers to traditional infill housing and minor dwellings.
Lower Hutt Mayor Campbell Barry said Council’s decision was pivotal for a city facing sustained population growth and an insufficient housing supply.
“As a Council, we’ve had to balance existing residents’ concerns over changes to their neighbourhoods and the harsh reality of a sharp rise in housing hardship and homelessness in this city. It’s also about taking action for the next generation of people who question whether they’ll ever be able to own their own home.”
“We won’t see medium density communities sprout up overnight – this is about the planned and gradual evolution of our city over a long period of time.”
Mayor Barry said the plan change is not a “silver bullet” for improving housing affordability but is the first of several projects on the horizon that will further address housing and shape Lower Hutt for the decades ahead.
“Spatial planning, our district plan review and a fresh strategic look at housing is about to get underway, and the crucial ingredient to this will be our communities’ views and vision for the future of their city.”
Lower Hutt has experienced average house price increases of 63 per cent and rent rises of 31 percent since 2015. The city is currently the biggest recipient of emergency housing grants for homeless households in the greater Wellington region.
The plan change spanned four months of public consultation, rather than the required one month, and involved 14 four-hour public information sessions. It attracted 1200 pages of submissions from 263 submitters.
Mayor Barry said last night’s decision was an immense and complex matter for a new council to face and he was proud of the thoughtful way both new and experienced councillors considered the issues.
What is Plan Change 43?
Medium Density Design Guide
More intensive developments requiring a resource consent would need to be assessed against a design guide which promotes quality building designs and deals with issues like shade and privacy effects and onsite storm water management.
Published: 5 November 2019