If approved, it will be one of the largest mixed-use developments outside major cities
The South Island city of Nelson has tabled a proposal to sell council-owned land to Kāinga Ora to create 175 new affordable and social homes.
In a statement, Nelson City Council said it will consult with the community on the sale of property in the city centre. If a decision is made to sell the land, Kāinga Ora will then complete its due diligence process before it finalises the purchase.
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The council said that of the 175 proposed homes to be built on the property, less than 50% will be social housing, while the rest will be affordable housing.
Meanwhile, the ground floor of these multi-storey buildings is reserved for commercial and community activities.
According to the council, if approved the property will be one of the largest mixed-use developments outside of the major cities of Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch.
Nelson mayor Rachel Reese said that this development addresses issues arising from recent data that revealed that house prices in Nelson have shot up by 88% and rent by 30% over the last five years.
“The knock-on effect is that we are getting to a point where our businesses want to grow, but they can’t attract skilled staff or even retain skilled staff in this region because of the cost and supply issues with housing,” Reese said.
Meanwhile, Julia Campbell, regional director at Kāinga Ora, said that her agency will keep the community in the loop at every stage of the process.
“Any development partnership between Kāinga Ora and the Nelson City Council will seek to provide features that enhance and give back to the community,” Campbell said.
