Hon Dr Nick Smith

Minister for Building and Construction

19 May 2017

New Housing Accord to boost homes in Tasman

A new Tasman Housing Accord aimed at boosting the district’s housing supply has been signed today by Building and Construction Minister Dr Nick Smith and Mayor Richard Kempthorne.

“Tasman is a successful and growing region. Unemployment is the lowest in the country and our community is benefiting from this growth, but we need to ensure we keep pace with this growth by providing additional space for new housing,” Dr Smith says.

“Significant population growth is forecast in five of the Tasman District’s major settlements - Richmond, Mapua, Motueka, Brightwater and Wakefield – in the next 10 to 20 years. This Accord is about ensuring this growth is well managed and supported.

“The Accord signed today provides the basis for the Government and the Tasman District Council to continue working together to clear the red tape for developers and to free up land faster.”

The previous Housing Accord was entered into in May 2015. It set a goal of 260 additional sections and 620 new homes over two years, and these have been well exceeded, with 457 new sections and 693 new homes. The new targets for the period 2017-19 are for 800 sections and 1100 homes.

“The primary benefit of a new Housing Accord with Tasman is enabling new Special Housing Areas (SHAs) to be declared. The Government and Council are in discussions on several possible areas that will add hundreds of sections to supply. These will be considered in coming months alongside Council-lead policy on establishing future SHAs,” Dr Smith says.

“Nelson and Tasman are enjoying a record building boom, with $350 million of work consented in the past year. This new Accord with Tasman will ensure we keep up this pace of strong investment and growth.”

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