Hawea special housing ticks all the boxes

IN a letter (ODT, 7.9.18), April Mackenzie expresses confidence that the proposed subdivision by

Universal Developments does not meet the statutory requirements of the Special Housing Areas Act 2013. No information included in the letter supports that conclusion.

The purpose of the Act Section 4 is to enhance housing affordability by facilitating an increase in land and housing supply. The proposal sets out two particular ways in which that will be achieved.

First, of the 400 sections, 40 will be gifted to the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust to be used by that trust to promote its prime goal of promoting affordable houses in the district. Using a very low value of $200,000 per section, that is a gift to the trust and the community of $8 million.

Secondly, the developer is required by the council to help the development of at least 30 new houses within the price range of $450,000 and $650,000, to promote homeownership opportunities for firsthome buyers.

The prices are set at levels which allow such persons to access the KiwiSaver Home Start Scheme, with a further grant for couples up to $20,000, and are supported by both the council and the Government.

Unlikely as it might seem to people of my generation, the word on the street is that there are hundreds of interested buyers under these conditions.

The Universal proposal would appear to tick all the boxes, contrary to April Mackenzie’s assertion above.