Need for housing preparation stressed

DEMAND for housing in Dunedin is going to increase dramatically in the next 10 years, and the Dunedin City Council needs to ensure it is part of the solution, Mayor Dave Cull says.

With hundreds expected to move to Dunedin to work on the hospital rebuild, the need for housing became more urgent, he said.

The new mayoral taskforce on housing will meet for the first time at the end of the month. It will be made up of council staff and will make suggestions to the council addressing longterm social, affordable and healthy housing issues.

As it was an advisory group, the taskforce did not have any decisionmaking authority.

During the council’s community and culture committee meeting on Tuesday, Mr Cull said there was going to be a dramatic rise in housing demand and the council needed to be prepared.

‘‘When the taskforce was first put forward, demand for housing was not seen as an issue but with the hospital rebuild that’s going to change.’’

The taskforce meant the council would be prepared for the higher demand before it arrived.

‘‘It’s enabled us to get ahead and make sure the city is going to be prepared.’’

Cr David BensonPope asked if the taskforce would work with the rebuild’s local advisory group. It was essential the two groups worked together, Mr Cull said.

Cr Rachel Elder asked if the Otago Polytechnic had been approached about the possibility of students taking part in any building work.

Cr BensonPope, who is on the council’s tertiary planning group, said the polytechnic was well aware of the city’s need for labour in the next 10 years.