3. Discussion
Uniting Through Sport
3.1 Sport Tasman
has successfully managed a project to help some Myanmar refugee families from
Nelson attend the Myanmar versus New Zealand, FIFA under 20 World Cup Game in
Wellington on 5 June 2015.
3.2 Her Worship
the Mayor agreed to donate $500 towards this project from the Mayor’s
Discretionary Fund.
Nelson Digital Future Working
Party
3.3 In the
Mayor’s Report of 20 November 2014, Her Worship the Mayor indicated her
interest in forming a working party with a focus on Nelson’s Digital
Future.
3.4 Subsequently,
the Economic Development Agency (EDA) has been working with a group of
passionate individuals in the community who are keen to implement the
“Gigaplan” Digital Strategy. The Gigaplan is a community
owned document which emerged from the Gigatown competition held last
year.
3.5 The first
meeting of this group was convened on 5 May 2015. Bill Findlater from the
EDA and Chris Ward, Group Manager Community Services were invited to the
meeting. Through these connections Her Worship the Mayor considers that
the outcomes sought, in respect of leveraging opportunities from the economic
and community collaboration that has occurred in Nelson, will be
achieved. The EDA is resourcing this group to progress a Digital Strategy
for our region. As a result, there is no need to form a further working
party.
2017 British and Irish Lions
Tour
3.6 New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has been in
contact with Nelson City Council, and has confirmed that Nelson is not a
preferred venue for the 2017 British and Irish Lions Tour in a proposal that is
currently being considered by the British and Irish Lions Board.
3.7 Competition was strong from venues in
New Zealand wishing to host this tour with many more host options than NZR
could fill. NZR have assessed the tour options and confirmed their
programme which is now awaiting Lions sign off. Financial return to NZR
was a significant factor in finalising the programme.
3.8 NZR had given Nelson City Council
preliminary advice several weeks ago that our bid was unlikely to make the
final cut but they were still in negotiation with other venues to confirm the
programme. Had those negotiations not proceeded to their satisfaction then NZR
wished to reserve the opportunity to discuss our bid further. NZR asked us to
retain an obligation of confidence while they conducted these
negotiations. This is not unusual in event hosting negotiations and we
have respected that request.
3.9 Council considered the submissions on
the LTP and confirmed that it was prepared to commit $500K (as notified in the
plan) to hosting the Lions if we were a successful bidder.
3.10 The LTP requires signoff by 30 June
and, with the confirmation from NZR that Nelson is not part of the proposal
being considered by the Lions, we will remove the provision of $500,000.
3.11 Should there be a change to the
allocation of matches that may affect Nelson, then NZR will contact us at the
earliest opportunity.
3.12 Nelson is committed to hosting large
scale sporting and entertainment events. NZR have acknowledged and respect our
track record. The city has shown it has the capacity and facilities by
successfully hosting the recent Crusaders v Hurricanes game and both the Rugby
World Cup at Trafalgar Park and Cricket World Cup at Saxton.
4. Conclusion
4.1 That Council
notes the updates in this report.
Nelson Housing Accord
(the Accord)
1. This Accord between
Nelson City Council (the Council) and the Government is intended to result in increased
land supply for housing and therefore improved affordability of homes in Nelson.
Background
2. An adequate supply of land for housing and
housing affordability are key elements in maintaining a well-functioning,
dynamic district with a strong economy and healthy communities. Nelson is
experiencing issues around the affordability of housing. While supply of zoned
land is being maintained subject to servicing, the availability of land parcels
in locations and at a rate that might influence affordability is a matter for
consideration.
3. Nelson City has a steady demand for new
housing due to both a growing population, driven by positive net migration and
natural increase (more births than deaths), and an ageing population, which is
driving a trend towards more one- and two-person households. Nelson’s
population experienced an average annual growth rate of 1.1% between 2006 and
2013, and projections are for the population to grow by 0.7% annually over the
next ten years. Home ownership rates have remained stable over the last decade,
at 68% of households.
4. The urban area of Nelson is
geographically compact and new residential development is constrained by
topography of hills, valleys and coastal areas. . Recent valuation
assessments have estimated 426 ha of residential land is available for
development, some of which still requires infrastructure servicing, and some of
which is subject to other constraints e.g hazards.
5. The aggregate housing affordability index
(integrating median dwelling prices, average weekly income and average mortgage
rates, across all housing market segments) as prepared by Massey
University in late 2014 for Nelson (as part of Nelson-Tasman
Marlborough regional cluster), shows that Nelson is less affordable than the
national average.
6. The Council and Government agree that joint
action is needed to improve housing supply and affordability in Nelson.
7. This Accord is part of the Government's housing
affordability programme , which includes initiatives to address:
· The supply of land available for
residential purposes.
· The efficiency and timeliness of the
provision of infrastructure to new development.
· The cost of construction materials.
· Compliance costs.
· Productivity in the construction sector.
Purpose
8. This Accord
will provide
the basis for collaboration between the Government and Council to support
an increase in housing and improve
housing affordability in Nelson.
9. This Accord recognises that by working
collaboratively the Government and the Council can achieve better housing outcomes for the
Nelson.
10. The parties
acknowledge that improving
housing affordability is a complex
issue and requires consideration of wider issues, not all of which will be able to be addressed
under this Accord.
Priority
Actions
11. This Accord is a tool to facilitate
development aligned with the Council's policy and regulatory framework including
the Nelson Resource Management Plan and the Long Term Plan. This framework
includes initiatives to:
· Enable a mix of housing types, including
more affordable homes.
· Encourage developers through a package
of incentives to prepare their land and build houses more quickly than has been
the case over the last three years. (Note: developers do not necessarily build
houses but the generic term developers in this Accord is also intended to cover
housing companies.)
· Increase developer confidence in the
Council to encourage a more collaborative approach between the Council and
developers that results in a commitment to bring a continuous supply of land
and houses to the market over the long term.
· Better align public infrastructure
investment and private sector housing development.
12. The Council will work collaboratively
with the Tasman District Council should any areas for potential housing
development be identified by either Council across territorial boundaries or be
serviced by infrastructure from the other Council.
13. Under this Accord the
Government and the Council agree to :
|
Aim
|
Actions
|
Commitments
|
|
Increase the supply of
affordable housing
in Nelson with a particular
focus on existing residentially zoned land.
|
Encourage developers to subdivide and prepare their land and
build houses following release of serviced residentially zoned land more
quickly than has been the case over the last three years.
Ensure housing developments provide
for a mix of house types and include more affordable homes to be sold at
different price points.
Maintain an appropriate supply of undeveloped zoned and
serviced land for residential development to ensure a healthy degree of
competitive pressures amongst developers.
Encourage the redevelopment of suitable
residentially zoned land to yield greater density of new dwellings that may
be more affordable.
Review planning provision for
residential living in Nelson to provide greater flexibility around housing
choices.
|
The Council will progress actions to encourage faster
development of serviced residential zoned land and the development of more
affordable homes.
The Council will consider mechanisms
which may include differential rating and
development control powers to speed up supply and improve
affordability.
The Council is undertaking a review of the Nelson Resource
Management Plan to ensure the Plan responds appropriately to development
demand by delivering a framework to support and encourage residential
development.
The Council will continue to collaborate with the residential
development community to exploit opportunities to utilise already residential
zoned land that is suitable for increased density of more affordable new
dwellings.
|
|
Have a constructive
relationship with developers, balanced by the need to retain financial
prudence and process integrity .
|
Monitor resource and building
consenting processes to ensure that they are efficient and do not create
unnecessary delays to development.
To engage early in pre- application
discussions particularly to address servicing and design needs and
implications through the Major Projects Team and other initiatives.
|
The Council will establish a
Developer's Forum for the purpose of discussing issues of common interest.
The Council will seek further
opportunities to manage regulatory processes so that it can better anticipate
and facilitate residential developments that contribute to the supply of
affordable housing.
|
Special Housing Areas
14. Upon commencement of
this Accord, the Council will have the ability to recommend the creation of
Special Housing Areas to the Minister of Building and Housing under the Act. If
the Government agrees, the recommended Special Housing Areas could be
established by Order in Council, enabling the Council to access the powers
available under the Act.
Targets
15. The Council and
Government agree on the importance of targets to give effect to the purpose of
this Accord. Both parties to the Accord accept that the targets are,
necessarily, ambitious to meet Nelson's housing needs.
16. These targets will be
achieved through a combination of private sector development, direct Council
and Government action and through collaborative action with other
agencies. The targets will need to be achieved mainly by private housing
developers, notwithstanding Council has an active role in making serviced land
available for housing. This Accord is about enabling private investment in
housing and will require both Council and Government to work closely with the
development and housing sector. Council and Government further agree
within their respective areas of control to endeavour to achieve the agreed
targets within the timeframe of this Housing Accord.
17. The agreed medium-term
targets are:
|
Housing Supply
|
Baselines
|
Aspirational Targets
|
|
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
Year1
|
Year2
|
Year3
|
|
Yield of serviced residential lots
(titled) from residential zoned land
|
89
|
124
|
107
|
100
|
100
|
100
|
|
Total dwellings consented
|
285
|
256
|
215
|
240
|
240
|
240
|
Note: Targets are based on
household projections of 184 households per annum over the next 10 years as
population growth is slowing due to an ageing population, refer http://www.nelson.govt.nz/population. The targets above will be measured against Council
gathered and publicly available information as appropriate. Aspirational
targets relate to respective financial years.
Factors Outside Scope
18. This Accord does not limit the Council, or the Government,
coming to differing positions in respect of Government programmes of reforms to
the Resource Management Act or other legislation. The Government welcomes
submissions from Council at the appropriate stages in the process.
Governance and Processes
19. Governance of this Accord will rest with a Joint Steering
Group comprised of the Minister of Building and Housing and the Mayor and
Deputy Mayor of Nelson. The Joint Steering Group has the ability to amend this
Accord, including targets, upon agreement. The targets shall be reviewed
annually, subject to reports on progress and the state of the
building/construction sector.
20. To operate this Accord, the Council and Ministry of
Business, innovation and Employment will establish an Officials Working Group,
which will meet and form sub groups as it deems necessary to advance the
implementation and meet the objectives of this Accord.
21. This Officials Working Group will report to the Joint
Steering Group at least biannually and will prepare any progress or monitoring
reports requested by the Joint Steering Group.
22. The Joint Steering Group will meet biannually to review the
progress in implementing and achieving the targets of the Accord. A full review
of the effectiveness of the Accord and actions taken under it will be carried
out after its first 12 months of operation.
Monitoring and Review
23. In order to ensure that the purposes and targets of this
Accord are achieved, the Joint Steering Group will monitor and review the
implementation and effectiveness of this Accord .In order to do this officials
will meet as appropriate to:
· Review
progress in implementing the Accord.
· Review progress towards the Accord targets.
· Discuss
and agree other areas
of joint action or information sharing.
Commencement of the
Accord
24. This Accord will take effect from the date of ratification by the Council.
Dispute Resolution
25. Prior to either party exercising the right to terminate this
Accord under clause 26, the parties agree that they shall first comply with the
dispute resolution process set out in clause 25.
26. The dispute resolution process is as follows:
· The initiating party must immediately,
and in writing, bring the dispute to the attention of the other party.
· The Joint Steering Group must hold an
initial meeting for the purposes of resolving the dispute within 10 business
days of the dispute being brought, in writing, to the attention of the
non-initiating party.
· If, for any reason, the
Steering Group is unable to resolve the dispute in the initial meeting, the
Steering Group must reconvene for the purpose of resolving the dispute within
20 business days of the date of the initial meeting
· If the Steering Group remains
unable to resolve the dispute at the second meeting then either party may elect
to terminate the Accord in accordance with clause 24.
· Pending final resolution of
the dispute the parties must continue to perform their obligations under this
Accord as if a dispute had not arisen.
Termination of the Accord
27. Subject to first complying with the requirements of clauses
22 and 23, either party may terminate this Accord, on any of the grounds set
out in clause 25, by giving not less than three (3) months notice to the other.
28. The grounds on which this Accord may be terminated are:
· Failure to reach the agreed targets as
set out in the Accord, whether the failure results from inaction or ineffective
action.
· Failure on the part of the Council to
exercise the powers and functions of an Authorised Agency under the Housing
Accords and Special Housing Areas Act.
· The parties agree that there is an
irretrievable breakdown in the relationship. Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Accord, the parties agree that clauses 24 and 25 shall not
apply to a termination on this ground, or
· Nelson is removed from Schedule 1of
the Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Act, in accordance with that Act
(e.g. if Nelson no longer meets the affordability and land supply criteria
provided for under that Act).
29. To align with disestablishment clauses
in the Act, the Accord will terminate on 16 September 2016 if not already
terminated by either party. In the event that notification of termination
is given by either party, the Accord will terminate three months from
notification or on 16 September 2016, whichever comes first.
Publicity
30. The Mayor and the Minister of Building
and Housing agree that any communications or publicity relating to this Accord
will be mutually agreed prior to release.
Ratification
31. This Accord
is subject
to ratification by the Council.
If it is not ratified the parties agree that this Accord will be at an end.
Signed on this day
of 2015
Hon Dr Nick Smith Rachel
Reese
Minister of Building and Housing Mayor of Nelson
