Housing are popping in Waimakariri’s main towns.
Photo: David Hill / North Canterbury News
A North Canterbury council has housing firmly in its sights.
The Waimakariri District Council is preparing a housing plan to support a growing and ageing population in the district.
It follows councillors instructing staff to investigate options to address homelessness earlier this year.
The council’s strategy, engagement and economic development general manager Simon Hart said the plan would give effect to the council’s housing policy, adopted in 2023.
Since then the Greater Christchurch Partnership adopted a joint housing action plan and the Canterbury Mayoral Forum, which represents the region’s mayors, adopted a housing strategic plan.
”The focus for council is very much targeted to supporting outcomes for social housing, affordable rentals and affordable ownership,” Hart said.
The Waimakariri district’s population is expected to grow from 74,000 to 100,000 people over the next 30 years.
A new District Plan, adopted in June last year, opened up land for up to 17,000 new houses in Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Woodend and Oxford over the next three decades.
Housing planning is needed to support Waimakariri’s growth.
Photo: Waimakariri District Council / supplied
The council provides older persons’ housing, and plays roles as ”a regulator, enabler/incentiviser, and as an advocate”, Hart said.
”Local government is only one player within housing and is not always best placed to address some of the complex issues.”
He said providing housing to meet a variety of needs required ”a multi-stakeholder approach”, with central government playing a key role.
Community housing providers and service agencies also had a role to play, he said.
”We have seen good housing outcomes where partnerships between stakeholders take advantage of each other’s strengths and resources,” Hart said.
The council’s community and recreation general manager Chris Brown said 20 additional older persons’ units were about to be opened in Kaiapoi, with a further six to be built in Rangiora.
Funding has been received from the Rata Foundation and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, so there was no impact on ratepayers, he said.
It will increase the council’s housing stock from 112 to 138.
Cara Gullick (centre) explains her latest project to Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon (left) and councillors Shona Powell and Bruce McLaren at an opening earlier this year.
Photo: North Canterbury News
The council was also working with Abbeyfields Waimakariri to establish alternative older persons’ housing.
Other social housing providers in the district included Vision West, Kāinga Ora and private initiatives by Cara Gullick.
Conversations were also under way with the Ōtautahi Community Housing Trust and Mana Whenua.
Kāinga Ora Housing New Zealand manages 244 houses in the Waimakariri district (in Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Oxford and Clarkville), 20 in the Hurunui district (in Amberley, Cheviot, Culverden and Waiau) and 23 in Kaikōura.
The agency’s homes and communities regional director Liz Krause said 98.9 percent of its properties across Canterbury were occupied.
”With a portfolio of our size, there will always be a small level of vacant properties, due to the turnover in our tenancies and homes being held for a time for tenants with specific needs.”
There were no plans to provide any additional social housing in North Canterbury this year.
– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.