Bold New Approach To Residential Growth
NEWS RELEASE
25 April 2008
Infill housing:
targeted areas proposed for development
Wellington
City Council is proposing a bold new approach to managing
future residential growth in the city.
The
approach, based on ‘areas of change’ and ‘areas of
character protection’, actively encourages higher-density
housing in targeted areas of Wellington, including the
central city, in and around the town centres of
Johnsonville, Newlands, Tawa, Miramar and Kilbirnie, and
parts of Newtown and Karori, while safeguarding significant
character in others.
Some infill housing would
continue to be allowed in the other areas but it would be
subject to greater controls on quality. Infill housing is
new housing within existing areas including ‘backyard’
infill and comprehensive developments such as apartments and
townhouses.
The Council’s Urban Development
Portfolio Leader, Councillor Andy Foster, says targeting
higher-density housing close to local centres, community
services and public transport offers the best way to
accommodate growth. Wellington’s population has grown by
nearly 16,000 in the last five years and demographic
projections showed the city will need 23,000 new homes for
37,000 more residents by 2051.
“Targeting of
infill housing offers the most efficient use of public
resources, relates strongly to the Council’s transport
policies, and is one of the best ways to create a more
sustainable city,” he says.
It means the Council
may have to consider taking a proactive facilitation role to
ensure the right kind of change happens,
including:
Developing a vision or concept plan for
each area
Reviewing investment programmes to ensure we
have the right infrastructure, facilities and services in
place to support growth
Entering partnership projects
with other agencies (such as Housing New Zealand) and the
private sector to attract investment and ensure sustainable
development outcomes
Facilitating change.
Under
the Council proposal, there would be ‘areas of change’
and ‘areas of character protection’. ‘Areas of
change’ are those the Council believes can support
increased growth, and where comprehensive housing would be
encouraged, resulting in moderate to significant increases
in residential density. The proposed areas of change
are:
the central city, in and around Johnsonville
and Kilbirnie town centres, and Adelaide Road
in and
around Tawa and Miramar town centres, the Karori Road
corridor and Riddiford Street
in and around Newlands
local centre, Crofton Downs, Luxford Street in Berhampore,
and Lyall Bay Parade.
‘Areas of character
protection’ are those the Council believes have important
character values that require protection from inappropriate
development. The proposed ‘areas of character
protection’ are:
inner residential suburbs
subject to the 1930 demolition rule (eg. Thorndon, lower
Kelburn, Aro Valley, Mt Cook, Berhampore, Mt Victoria,
Newtown) – minus the specific areas of change proposed in
Newtown and Berhampore
coastal/residential areas in the
eastern/southern suburbs including Scorching, Karaka and
Worser bays, Seatoun, Breaker Bay, Moa Point, part of Lyall
Bay, and Houghton, Island and Owhiro bays.
Some of
these areas, such as the inner suburbs, already have
character protection but they may require review to ensure
they are all consistent with Plan Change 38 – Residential
Character in Newtown, Berhampore and Mt Cook. Further
character protection of the coastal areas will likely be in
the form of a coastal residential design guide.
The
above list of areas may grow. See ‘Other possible areas of
character protection’ for areas the Council believes
requires further investigation.
The Council will
release a discussion document titled How and where will
Wellington grow? Proposals for change and character
protection early next month. A summary pamphlet will be sent
to all ratepayers along with information about how to
provide feedback to the Council. Feedback is due 7
July.
The targeting infill proposal, based on 22
months of work by Council officers and backed by powerful
GIS tools, is the second part of a major Council review of
infill housing that began in July 2006.
The first
part involved tightening key rules for new houses in
District Plan Change 56, which came into effect last
November. Council officers have already reported a
significant improvement in the quality of applications for
new residential development.
The concept of
targeting infill was consulted on last year, and received a
favourable response.
Apart from the issue of
greater sustainability, targeting higher-density housing
offers numerous other benefits, Cr Foster
says.
“We will have a more vital, safer and
healthier city because there are more people out on the
street, and it builds stronger suburban centres because they
act as hubs of busier, more densely populated communities.
It also means we can spend proportionately more on a quality
public realm – better quality streets and parks, roadside
landscaping and community
facilities.”
Encouraging infill in targeted areas
offers a wider range of housing options for people,
including more affordable homes in the right
locations.
“In future, a growing proportion of
Wellington’s residents will want high or medium-density
housing – units, apartments or townhouses – because they
meet a number of needs,” says Cr Foster.
“Our
population is getting older and we have fewer people living
in each home. The trend toward inner-city living shows no
signs of slowing down. And more intensive forms of housing
extend the affordability options for people, from first-home
buyers and young families to new retirees and the
elderly.”
ends