'Extra town' to ease growth problems

An "additional town" catering for up to 2000 people south of Takaka is one option being considered by the Tasman District Council as it grapples with problems of rapid growth.

Policy planner Sonya Leusink has warned the council that a lack of affordable housing is jeopardising the social and economic well-being of the Golden Bay community.

In a report to yesterday's meeting of the council's resource management policy committee, Ms Leusink said an "additional town" on rural land at Park Ave, off State Highway 60, 2km south of Takaka, was one option to cater for urban growth.

The concept is being prepared by development consultants Davis Ogilvie for a consortium of people who own 110ha of land in the area.

Ms Leusink said new housing was urgently needed in Golden Bay.

House prices were being driven by demand, and resource consents were being approved outside residential zones, she said.

No land had been made available for residential purposes through planning in the past 10 years.

Davis Ogilvie director Barry Grieg, from Christchurch, said the "new town" concept was still in early stages, but was designed to provide for 50 years of growth in Golden Bay.

"All we have done is identify an area which is above the floodplain and is capable of being serviced with road access and drainage."

It was premature to comment on the likely number of sections, but the area "could allow for a population of a couple of thousand people", he said.

A report prepared for the Golden Bay Work Centre in 2003 said a growing number of people in the area were financially and emotionally distressed because incomes had not matched rising accommodation costs.

In the 2001 census, the average income in Golden Bay was $14,500.

Real Estate Institute figures show that the median sale price for dwellings from 85 sales in 2003 was $278,000.

The council is expected to have options for urban growth for the eastern Takaka area defined by June, to be followed by community consultation.

- NZPA