North Canterbury News: June 22, 2023

NEWS
12 The North Canterbury News, June 22, 2023
Housing under the spotlight in Waimakariri
By DAVID HILL,
Local Demcoracy Reporter
Provision of housing is under review in
the Waimakariri district.
Waimakariri District Council chief
executive Jeff Millward says the council
considers its role as more of an enabler
than aprovider of housing.
‘‘At this stage we are not geared up for
social housing, but we do have housing
for the elderly,’’ Mr Millward said.
‘‘We have agrowing elderly
population and we need to provide for
that in the future.
‘‘The open market or the government
may bridge that gap, but what role does
the local authority have in that
provision?’’
Affordable housing has become ahot
topic with the housing boom in the
district in recent years, which has raised
questions around what role the council
should be playing.
The councils seeking feedback on its
draft housing policy 2023, which
considers housing provision in the
district.
Historically the council has been a
provider of pensioner housing, with 112
older person’s units in Rangiora,
Kaiapoi, Oxford and Woodend.
But Mr Millward says organisations
like Kāinga Ora and Vision West were
better placed to offer social housing.
The council formed ahousing working
group two years ago to review the
housing challenges in the district.
The review was comprehensive,
considering Three Waters service
provision and reviewing the council’s
property portfolio, including what
properties should be purchased and
what should be sold.
It also considered how to support
people’s physical health, social and
cultural wellbeing, and whether
available housing matched the changing
needs and aspirations of the community.
The Bellgrove development in
Rangiora is seeking to provide arange
of housing options, but questions
remained around affordability and
section size.
Central government legislation
attempted to address this by passing the
Resource Management (Enabling
Housing Supply and Other Matters)
Amendment Act in December 2021, to
allow for up to three housing units and
up to three storeys on asingle urban
section.
The Greater Christchurch Spatial
Plan attempted to address issues like
urban sprawl with more compacted
housing.
‘‘We are agrowth district and we
would have to say we are alittle bit
different to Christchurch,’’ Mr Millward
says.
There are comparatively fewer rental
properties, while many are attracted to
the district with the prospect of owning
alarger section.
The compact form of housing
proposed in the Greater Christchurch
Spatial Plan is going to ‘‘require a
change in culture’’, he says.
But the rising cost of housing is
already driving the provision of smaller
sections, such as those offered in the
Bellgrove sub­division.
Submissions close on the Waimakariri
District Council’s draft housing policy
on July 2. Go to letstalk.waimakariri.
govt.nz/housing.
Public interest journalism funded
through New Zealand on Air.
Pure by the Barrelman wins Sustainability Award
By ROBYN BRISTOW
ANorthCanterbury husband and wife
team have taken out the Commitment to
Sustainability Site Award at the Field
Days at Mystery Creek near Hamilton.
Darryn and Tania Candy’s business Pure
by the Barrelman,now based in the old
mill complex at Waikuku, was recognised
for thecouple’s ‘‘dedicationtothe
environment’’ through repurposingoak
wine barrels in their entiretytocreate
eco­friendly products.
Productsinclude platters,plant stands
and furniture. Any leftover materials are
donated to local restaurantsfor use in
theirsmokers.
Theircommitment to minimisingwaste
extends to theirsite packagingand display
props, whichare reinforcedusing
recycled woolblankets and coffeesacks.
The Fieldays Exhibitor Site Awards are
heldeach year,with the winnersreceiving
aprize hamperand adiscountoff their
2024site.
Pure by the Barrelman ... The winning
team receive their Commitment to
Sustainability Award at the Field Days at
Mystery Creek.
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
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