Lifestylers say district is becoming cluttered

Te Kauwhata lifestyle block owners are angered by Waikato District Council moves that could lead to the rezoning of large areas of land to accommodate high-density housing despite nearby subdivisions remaining almost empty.

The rolling countryside of Travers, Te Kauwhata and Wayside Rds - all a few hundred metres from SH1 and halfway between Auckland and Hamilton - takes in large rural properties, vineyards, olive groves and farm animals quietly grazing.

But the council has put a variation on its district plan that, if passed, would see large chunks of the area rezoned.

If the change goes ahead those living on the "country living" lifestyle blocks could have as their neighbours home owners on plots zoned "residential" - which at between 450 and 600sq m would be about eight times smaller.

The proposed change follows a developer's failed attempt last year to rezone an unused vineyard into a 69-house subdivision, also on Travers Rd.

Te Kauwhata local Kevin Peach said the variation made little sense as a nearby subdivision on Blunt Rd was only partially filled and a subdivision on Eccles Ave had also had very few housing starts since its inception 18 months ago.

"There is lots of land closer to town that has already been done and other places where land is for sale and people can walk to the amenities, and no one is buying there at the moment," said Mr Peach.

"They [the developers] should follow the rules like we have over the past 15 years in which you can subdivide but only as small as 5000sq m."

Andrew Kerr, who has lived on Travers Rd for nine years, said if the variation went ahead, just under a hectare of his land would become an environmental protection zone on which he would be unable to build.

He accused the council of a "rates hunt".

"They are now looking at 600sq m blocks or even 450sq m."

Mr Kerr also feared the adverse effect new subdivisions would have on the valley's stormwater system, which he said often struggled in heavy rain despite there being only a handful of properties on Travers Rd.

Pukekohe real estate agent Graeme Willson, who also lives on the outskirts of Te Kauwhata, said house sales in the township had been poor over the past few years.

The local residential housing market had reached "saturation" point.

"We thought with the [Springhill] prison opening up it would really make things in Te Kauwhata happen but it hasn't," said Mr Willson.

But he thought the area would boom once the Hampton Downs motorsport complex opened.

Whangamarino ward councillor George Vickers confirmed there was interest from developers in land around Te Kauwhata.

Asked why the council was considering opening land up for further development despite local subdivisions remaining only partially filled at best, he said the town was expected to see growth of 550 per cent over the next 50 years.

"This is recognised as a major growth area and while I think everyone is a bit distrustful, including me, you have to start somewhere and this is the most reliable information available to the council," Mr Vickers said.

"The justification is the council has an obligation to develop not just in Te Kauwhata but all of its towns and villages to provide for extension as far as possible within economic reach of the existing infrastructure."

Mr Vickers said the Waikato Expressway and the possible reopening of the town's rail corridor were other reasons further development was necessary.

Submissions to the Waikato District Council close tomorrow.