Residential Growth

Introduction

The rejuvenation and growth of Lower Hutt relies on having an adequate supply of housing for new and existing residents, as well as a wide range of housing types suitable to people at different stages of their lives.

To ensure housing development supports and does not impede the rejuvenation of the city, Hutt City Council developed its 2012-2032 Urban Growth Strategy as a plan to facilitate a thoughtful and strategic approach to residential development.

The challenges Lower Hutt faces are a lack of greenfield land for housing development and a narrow range of housing types, for instance, for young couples seeking an affordable first home or those approaching retirement. As a result of this strategy and rising demand for housing in Lower Hutt, Council has researched and prepared a range of new ways to develop existing residential areas and has sought residents’ initial thoughts on these proposals.

Residential Intensification Survey

Council put forward a range of residential intensification proposals and asked for residents’ feedback in a three-week survey, which commenced in May 2017.

The survey was completed by 1540 people and generated much debate. Of these, 528 responses came from Hutt City Views, an online panel and representative sample of Lower Hutt residents who participate in surveys about issues facing the city. There were 1012 responses from the general public. On several of Council’s proposals, there were significant differences of opinion between the responses of the panel and those of the general public.

This survey is now closed. View the survey results (PDF 9.33 MB)

What happens next?

Council will consider the proposals, taking the survey results into account. Council may recommend changes to the proposals, which will then be taken to the community for consultation.

2012-2032 Urban Growth Strategy

The Urban Growth Strategy was developed to address the issues of a possible drop in population and low housing and economic growth in Lower Hutt.

The Strategy seeks to increase the population from 98,238 people in 2013 to at least 110,000 people by 2032, as well as increasing the number of homes by at least 6000 within the same time range.

We aim to achieve this increase in population and homes through a combination of greenfield development (i.e. expanding the city into areas currently undeveloped) and increasing population and housing densities in existing urban areas through intensification.

Take a look at the Urban Growth Strategy (PDF 2 Mb)