Tag: Auckland Council

First Special Housing Accord Development Under Way

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Large Scale Social Housing Project under way in Weymouth

 

I noticed from respected property writer Bob Dey that Auckland Council and the Central Government signed off the first Special Housing Area under the operative Housing Accord. Remembering the Housing Accord could only become operational if the Unitary Plan was notified – which it was.

An excerpt from Bob’s post on the Weymouth Special Housing Area

Tamaki Collective’s Weymouth housing development launched

on Friday 4 October 2013 
Housing Minister Nick Smith and Auckland mayor Len Brown announced New Zealand’s largest community housing development yesterday – the Tamaki Collective’s $102 million development of 282 social & affordable homes on surplus Government land at Weymouth.

Dr Smith said it involved both the Government’s social & affordable housing reforms, helping 113 families into their first home and expanding the provision of community & social housing by 169 units.

“This Weymouth development, which will house 1250 people, will also be the first special housing area under new legislation & the Auckland accord. This will enable the 16ha subdivision of vacant Government land to be fast-tracked, with the first homes ready for occupation by the middle of next year and the entire development completed by 2017.”

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You can read the rest over at Bob’s site.

 

This is where the Special Housing Area development will be:

Weymouth SHA area

 

There is also a second but unrelated (I believe this one is overseen by Housing NZ) Social Housing project under way on Walters Road, Papakura North – next to Papakura Normal School as well.

 

We will have to wait and see if these Social Housing projects do assist with both housing affordability and allowing people into their own homes. What will be just as interesting is to see how these developments hold up in 10 years time.

 

Now where is the next Special Housing Area going to be located.

Things That Really Matter

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Why Your Vote is Extremely Important

 

I open with this:

Things that matter:
Both Bernard Orsman and I (amongst others) were at the Unitary Plan briefing last week on what to expect with the Unitary Plan at notification stage and The Auckland Design Manual.

What do we see:
Bernard Orsman: Berms as the leading issue affecting a very select few on the isthmus of Auckland and absolutely nothing on the Unitary Plan that affects EVERY SINGLE AUCKLANDER and wider New Zealand

Ben Ross via Talking Auckland: Unitary Plan as the leading issue affecting EVERY SINGLE AUCKLANDER and wider New Zealand

Just to put a further emphasis there that Orsman has missed entirely is that in the 2014-2016 term of Council we see the Area Plans come up and into fruition. Area Plans are derived from the Unitary Plan and set urban and social planning for a localised area in Auckland. 21 Local Boards = Countless Area Plans – Area Plans that like the Unitary Plan affect a lot more Aucklanders than berms

So where do your priorities sit? Berms or Unitary/Area Plans?
I know where mine sit

 

I mentioned Area Plans, something of a major exercise that will be undertaken in the 2014-2016 Council Term.

As I said above:  Area Plans are derived from the Unitary Plan and set urban and social planning for a localised area in Auckland.  21 Local Boards = Countless Area Plans – Area Plans.

That is because Area Plans are doing through the 21 Local Boards alongside the Councillors and the Planners. Already I believe one Area Plan has been done with the Mangere/Otahuhu Local Board so 20 more to go by 2016.

Yet this absolutely critical aspect has been forgotten about in this election cycle but many (but not all) candidates vying for our vote!

 

THIS IS EXTREMELY UNACCEPTABLE IN MY EYES!

 

The Mayor will be looking at committing every single resource available for these Area Plans yet people like Orsman rather go focus on trivial issues like berms…

Without Area Plans as an election issue how do voter heck know what voters are voting for if the candidates are not quizzed on it in the election period?

 

So voters; ask the candidates what they will do for your community when the Area Plan process gets under way. I bet most candidates will have no clue – let alone a clue on what an Area Plan is.

 

I know what I am looking for in the respective Papakura and Manukau Area Plans and I voted for council and local board candidates who I know who could do a good job come next year when the AP process begins. Do and have you?

 

Your choice: Candidates focusing on the trivial like berms or candidates who think of both the long game and focus on things that affect you and your community for life – like Area Plans.

 

One last quip on real verse trivial issues – this one on transport:

Here is another one:
Bernard Orsman: Lets Focus on Berms

Real Issue: Orsman’s bus is usually late or does not show up at all when he wants to get to work or go home from work. Auckland Transport seem to ignore this day in day out.

What is the real issue here folks?

Coming Up with The Unitary Plan AND The Auckland Design Manual

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A Run Down in What to Expect from September 30

 

I attended the media briefing in regards to the Unitary Plan and The Auckland Design Manual which come out Monday – September 30th.

At the moment I am writing up my blog post from the briefing will have it up either tomorrow or Saturday morning.

As a teaser you can check the covers to some documents I received from the briefing today.

Update: I now have Scribd working – thus I can embed the “teaser” covers for you 😉

 

TALKING AUCKLAND

Talking Auckland: Blog of TotaRim Consultancy Limited

TotaRim Consultancy
Bringing Well Managed Progress to Auckland and The Unitary Plan

Auckland: 2013 – YOUR CITY, YOUR CALL

The Isthmus and Berm Mowing

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Compromise or Harden Up?

 

Must be election time in Auckland. Why? Apart from the fact in front of my keyboard I have my voting papers (for: Mayor, Ward Councillors, Local Board and District Health Board – and which make some depressing reading (the pamphlet of candidate choice is not that inspiring)), the Isthmus is still going on about their berms in front of their properties being mowed.

This stems from a decision on the 2012-2022 Long Term Plan deliberations (the LTP is now operative/in effect) that to save $3.2m from the Council budget, the former Auckland City Council area residents will no longer have their berms mowed by a Council contractor. The Isthmus like: Franklin, Papakura, Manukau, Waitakere, North Shore and Rodney will now have to mow the berm that is in front of their properties.

The rest of the City is wondering what is the Isthmus moaning about when for years if not decades everyone else just mowed their berms when they mowed their lawns. The most common reason I hear from the Isthmus is that the $3.2m of a service cut was not passed on in rates savings. Rather than parts of the Isthmus have been stung with a string of some of the highest rate rises in all of Auckland over the last three years.

 

At the end of the day we can keep going around in circles and most likely tell the Isthmus to harden up and join the rest of us in wider Auckland.

Or we could seek a solution. Councillor Casey and candidate Mark Donnelly both mooted an idea, one that I also submitted on to my submission to the 2012-2022 Long Term Plan. The Solution?

  1. Proper funding of the Local Boards for local services
  2. Allow individual Local Boards to pick whether they want contractors mowing the berms in their area

Basically if a Local Board wanted to pay a contractor of their choice to mow their areas’ berms rather than have the residents do so then they are free to choose. However, the cost would come out of the Local Board’s budget. This means the Local Board would have to decide how to raise the money for this service. The most obvious one would be a targeted rate to pay for the service.

But that way the Local Boards could choose whether they wanted the berms in front of houses mowed by a contractor.

 

While this does not address wider issues such as the 10-10-10 rate rise and loss of earlier berm mowing on the Isthmus it is a remedy to allow Local Boards decide local decisions.

What do you think? Leave your thoughts below

 

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