Council considering land sale to fast-track housing

Waipā District Council is considering selling land to Kāinga Ora so new housing for older people in the district can be fast-tracked.

Council purchased a 3.7 hectare land parcel in Cambridge Road in Te Awamutu in 2017, tagging it for affordable housing, including for older people. Council is now mulling over selling some of that land – 1.4 hectares –  to Kāinga Ora, the crown agency that provides housing for those in need.

If the sale goes ahead, Kāinga Ora would build approximately 30 single-storey one or two-bedroom homes, ring-fenced for those aged 55 and over.

Council deputy chief executive Ken Morris said there were two clear reasons why council was considering a potential sale  – need and speed.

“There is a dire shortage of affordable housing in Waipā, and this is impacting some of our most vulnerable citizens,” Morris said.

“If Kāinga Ora buy the land, they will be able to build social housing a lot faster than Council will ever be able to.  Potentially the construction of new homes could begin as early as next year.  If so, that will be a huge relief to some of our older local people who desperately need a home.”

If the sale goes ahead, proceeds will go towards repaying Council debt on the original purchase as well as investment in community projects. But it was not yet a “done deal”, Morris said.

“No deal will be done until we’ve heard from the community.  Consultation starts today and will stay open until May 11, so there’s time to people to have a say.”

Council and Kāinga Ora will hold an information session on Thursday April 27 at the Burchell Pavilion, next to the Te Awamutu i-SITE (1 Gorst Avenue) from 4-7pm with people from both organisations there to answer.

Feedback can also be provided via a link on Council’s website at www.waipadc.govt.nz/haveyoursay or via forms now available from the Council office in Te Awamutu or Cambridge.

 

More Recent News

News in brief

Driver dies One person died on Monday after a crash involving a track and car on Cambridge Road between Cox and Storey roads. Emergency services were called to the scene about 11.25am. The driver of…

Living icon has big plans

Waikato-Maniapoto’s Te Taka Keegan says he was surprised at being named a living icon for his work weaving Te Reo Māori into technology. Keegan, a University of Waikato Department of Software Engineering associate professor who…

More questions on plant plan

The chair of the board of inquiry into plans to build a waste to energy plant in Te Awamutu asked the applicant why they had not addressed social effects. Environment Court Judge Brian Dwyer asked…

Tamahere duo acknowledged

Two Tamahere residents were honoured at Waikato District Council’s mayoral awards recently. John Sheat, who was nominated by the Tamahere Community Committee​, was a foundation trustee of the Tamahere Mangaone Restoration Trust and spent more…