Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Campaign For Second Wainuiomata Access Launched

National List MP based in Hutt South Chris Bishop has today launched a campaign for the building of a second access road into Wainuiomata. The campaign calls on the Hutt Council to prioritise a second access through its Long Term Plan consultation (open now) and to talk to the government about backing it with infrastructure funding from its $3.8 billion fund for accelerating housing supply.

A second access road, which would be from the north of Wainuiomata into Naenae has been talked about for years and is needed for two major reasons, Mr Bishop says.

“First, Wainuiomata has just one road in and out of the area. One minor incident on the hill and the area is cut off, sometimes for hours. This happened just a few weeks ago, causing chaos for commuters. This isn’t good enough for a growing community. A second access road would increase resilience.

“Second, a second access road would unlock land that could be used for thousands of houses. The area of north Wainuiomata has long been talked as an area ripe for development and Lower Hutt’s housing shortage demands action.

“The upper Fitzherbert Rd area in north Wainuiomata is currently rural land, and it has been identified through the Wellington “Planning for Growth” framework as one of the biggest areas that could be developed in the Wellington area. I’ve seen an estimate that around 2,500 to 3,000 houses could potentially be built on the land – but a second access road is needed to unlock it.

“Lower Hutt has a massive housing shortage. Here are the facts:

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

· Lower Hutt mean rents have risen from $361 per week in October 2017 to $580 per week in February 2021 – a rise of $220 per week in three and a half years

· The social housing waitlist in Lower Hutt is at near-record levels, with 586 clients on the waitlist as at 31 December 2020 (an increase from 198 in September 2017)

· The average Lower Hutt house price has risen from $531,421 in October 2017 to $891,148 in February 2021. The increase in the last year alone is nearly 30 per cent and was 12 per cent in the last three months.

· $2.3 million was spent on emergency housing grants (which pay for people to stay in motels) in the September to December 2020 quarter alone and $20 has been spent on emergency housing grants in Lower Hutt since they began.

“We have a housing crisis in the Hutt and action is overdue and urgent. A second access road was costed in 2013 at around $30 million. It will obviously cost more now but work should begin immediately on the planning and the Council should look to prioritise the road through its Long Term Plan; seeking funding from the government’s $3.8 billion infrastructure fund for unlocking land for housing.

“Details of how this fund will actually work are very scarce but the government says it will be used to fund infrastructure necessary for new housing. Wainuiomata north is precisely the sort of area that needs to be unlocked to address the housing shortage in the Wellington region.

“People can show their support for a Wainuiomata second access by signing my petition and I will be making a submission to the Council as well.”

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.