Zizi Sparks: Building up not out could help housing crisis

Auckland CBD has built up, but outer suburbs have built out. Photo / Dean Purcell.

OPINION

It is hard to deny New Zealand has a housing problem.

In November the median weekly rent in the Bay of Plenty had reached a record $600.

OneRoof’s January 2023 report showed the average property value in the Bay of Plenty in December was $991,400. While it was a drop of more than 9 per cent from its peak of $1,089,000 in April 2022, it is still out of reach for many especially as interest rates soar along with the cost of living.

The issue of people in emergency and transitional housing has been well-documented.

So it is good to see some people are finally embracing building up not out.

Stats NZ figures from November show consents in the Bay of Plenty for multi-unit dwellings had gone from 25 in November 2021 to 74 a year later, and the number of house consents had fallen from 195 to 94.

In Tauranga, the difference was six building consents for 13 dwellings in November 2021 and eight for 74 dwellings in November 2022 - the majority in Gate Pā, Parkvale and Pāpāmoa.

In Rotorua, the council approved none in November 2021 but eight in November last year, made up of four building consents at two units per application, all in the Pukehangi Rd area.

Despite the housing crisis, some Ngongotahā residents have already opposed development at 31 Ngongotaha Rd.

The Government plans to build 350 homes on the 15.9-hectare section where it had rejected private plans for 190, then 80 homes, in 2019 with the minster citing a reasonably complex site, proximity to Waitetī Stream, and potential to increase flood hazard to downstream properties.

While answers are needed about what has changed to now make the site suitable, we should hear out the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development instead of defaulting to nimbyism.

In Tauranga, some residents are equally opposed. Last year residents opposed a five-storey luxury apartment development due to fears it would cast a large shadow.

Rotorua’s proposed Housing for Everyone - Plan Change 9 aims to enable medium-density living across most urban areas and high-density living close to and in the city centre, and in commercial centres. It would help reduce build times, reduce consenting costs and improve opportunities for development and infill housing.

This should be welcomed if it’s going to alleviate any shortages.

There are also central government changes for tier-one local authorities that allow, as of right, three dwellings of up to three storeys without resource consent on most residential sections.

The simple fact is more houses are needed, it is great to see people embracing building up not out. Those that aren’t need to change their mindsets because the days of the quarter-acre dream appear to be in the rearview.