Levy hike proposal set to push up prices

House hunters are likely to pay slightly more for new sections in Blenheim if a proposed change to stormwater levies goes through, rebalancing the cost of major drain upgrades.

The stormwater levy is one of several development contributions charged by the Marlborough District Council, so that people developing land contribute to the cost of installing stormwater drains.

The levy was previously $757 for each new section developed in Blenheim, but the council proposed increasing the levy to $4247 to pay for stormwater upgrades in the draft annual plan released on Friday.

The proposed changes were outlined in the draft annual plan released for consultation on Friday, with submissions due by May 4. The council would adopt the annual plan on June 25.

Deluxe Group developer Greg Smith said he was pleased there would be a slight decrease in the cost of developing new sections, having previously spoken out about the myriad of charges developers face.

His new sections at the Rose Manor subdivision on Old Renwick Rd had been selling for about $300,000, a price driven up by the council’s various levies, he told Stuff last month.

‘‘From my perspective [the proposed levy change] makes it more fair for those in the North West Zone,’’ Smith said after reviewing the proposal.

‘‘Any reduction in fees will always be appreciated.’’

The alternative to the levy increase, the annual report said, was for ratepayers to pay.

South Pass surveyor Vicki Nalder said extending existing pipes to meet new subdivisions were ‘‘big costs’’ for towns expanding at the edges.

‘‘The cost is very draining on small councils. You can understand why the infrastructure hasn’t kept up, because it means putting rates up, and nobody wants to put rates up for things they can’t see.

‘‘Do you want a new arts gallery or museum for $20 million? Or do you want to spend $20m putting a new pipe in the ground? You know what people are going to say.’’

So levies were preferred by councils, but they were usually passed on to the buyer, which meant new sections were often too expensive for many people looking to buy, Nalder said.

‘‘When the developer pays for everything, it is actually detrimental to a whole section of our community that need affordable housing.’’

But to say the only alternative to levies was to increase rates was ‘‘a cop-out’’, Nalder said.

‘‘That’s narrow thinking, there are many ways to approach this. Number one, there should be more support coming out of central Government, to help with development contributions so we can develop medium to low density community housing.

‘‘But the council has a role to play too ... It would be nice if the council explored different possibilities with developers around payments.’’

A cohesive housing vision, with community input, would help produce more efficient infrastructural design than continuing to build segmented subdivisions, Nalder said.

A man who told a midwife he had a ‘‘gun’’ and tried to steal the car she was in was foiled when the woman told him he didn’t believe he had a gun and walked off.

Liam Shane Marsh, 24, was sentenced in the Blenheim District Court on Monday after earlier admitting charges of demanding to steal, unlawfully taking a car, burglary and wilful damage.

Marsh was sentenced to jail for nine months. He did not have a suitable address for an electronically monitored sentence.

A police summary of facts said Marsh was ‘‘loitering’’ in the surrounds of Nelson Hospital on the morning of December 31.

About 9am, a midwife at the hospital, arrived and parked in the staff carpark. She was in the driver’s seat when Marsh approached her and asked for a lift into town, the summary said.