City growth tops agenda

Hamilton will need to build about 28 houses a week to keep ahead of predicted growth.

City council staff advise moves in two new suburbs – probably Peacocke and Rotokauri – should come in the next decade, general manager of city growth Kelvyn Eglinton said.

But councillors working out where to focus the ratepayer dollar will have to decide whether they favour growth, community amenities, or a mix as they weigh up items such as the Peacocke development and a new central city library.

Councillors are preparing for their next long-term plan and looked over four scenarios in a plan briefing on Wednesday. They ranged from going full steam ahead with Peacocke earlier than planned to balancing growth and community.

Mayor Andrew King was conscious of the dollars, reminding colleagues about money pledged for a replacement theatre, and pending answers on the Housing Infrastructure Fund and a revenue review.

‘‘Where’s the money, honey?’’ King asked.

Growth is coming and Hamilton will need 1469 new dwellings a year, Eglinton said.

‘‘At the moment, we’re riding the cusp of the wave of growth because of the past investment in the future,’’ he said.

Council now needs to invest more to avoid falling behind.

Right now, Hamilton has enough land for the next four years of required housing, Eglinton said, mostly in Rototuna.

That will increase to 11 years once council provisions in the previous long-term plan are actioned. The need for 1469 new homes is based on growth predictions and the central government’s requirement that councils need a 20 per cent buffer – something councillor Garry Mallett questioned.

Would councillors go to jail if it weren’t met, get told off, or remarked upon, he asked.

At worst, the Government could appoint a commissioner, chief executive Richard Briggs said. Finance woes in the past meant council has previously put off spending that could help with growth, Eglinton said.

‘‘Finance was the biggest driver at the time, because of the V8s and the [global financial crisis] and the slow growth, and that made perfect sense at that time.’’

Now, as the city grows, councillors need to think about improving areas such as traffic congestion and getting houses in new growth cells.

‘‘Over the next 10-year period, we will need to have one going and another started,’’ Eglinton said - though council will use infill as well.

General manager of city infrastructure Chris Allen later added, ‘‘It’s a bit like a sausage factory in terms of keeping growth cells coming. ‘‘We need another cell to open.’’ But Cr Paula Southgate wasn’t happy with a scenario which brought council spending on Peacocke development forward.

‘‘We’ve got to be delivering something for the people who already live here in the city and the new people,’’ she said. ‘‘While we want everything today, we want all the housing … We can’t actually afford it.’’

Cr Mark Bunting asked if there were a Peacocke and Rotokauri lite option.

And Cr Rob Pascoe wanted to know if council could start by alleviating some of the effects of existing growth before moving on to expanding the Peacocke development.

‘‘Open the maternity bay doors, HAL.’’

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