4 October 2023
Barry Murphy
Email:
[FYI request #20762 email]
Dear Barry
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL INFORMATION AND MEETINGS ACT 1987 – Tree reports
and planned development for 6 Teitei Drive, Ohakune
I refer to your official information request dated 18 July 2023. Our response is numbered accordingly
following your format of your email of that date.
1.
Please advise which Councillors in favour of this venture, and which were opposed or
abstained
Decisions on the 5 August 2020 report to Council (which was made available at Council’s meeting
of 27 September 2023 as an attachment to a public agenda item, “Proposed Teitei Housing
Development”) gave delegations to Ruapehu District Council’s Chief Executive to enter into
negotiations with Kāinga Ora and to enter into an agreement with Crown Infrastructure Partners
(CIP) to receive the $7.78M grant.
The resolution was moved by Cr Wilson and seconded by Cr Goddard. No Councillors opposed or
abstained this resolution.
2.
Please advise how long this project has been considered as I have heard it has been
suggested for many years and Councillors pushed back on the proposal
Teitei Drive started to be considered as an option for housing development around mid-October
2020.
3.
What funding is Council receiving from Government for the project?
The original CIP application for housing support for Ruapehu stated that Council would offer land at
no cost as its local share for the development, CIP would provide the funding for infrastructure costs,
and a CHP (Community Housing Providers) would provide the funding for the houses.
Page 2
CIP subsequently modified the proposal with CIP providing funding direct to Kāinga Ora, some of
the Council costs were not going to be covered by the CIP funding. To overcome that issue,
discussions took place which resulted in formulation of an intention by the Council to sell land for 44
lots to Kāinga Ora to cover the shortfall in Council’s costs, rather than being contributed by Council
at no cost as part of the Council’s local share for the funding of the project. This was not tied to the
value of the land, but more to the anticipated Council costs which CIP would not fund. Negotiations
then took place in that respect which resulted in the Sale and Development Agreement being signed
on 4 April 2023.
This approach supports Council’s Public and Affordable Asset and Tenancy Management Strategy
that was publicly consulted on in September 202. The Strategy stated that it would not be Council’s
policy to undertake speculative development or housing risk. Council would work with other
organisations on collaborative delivery of new housing by activating and unlocking the residual value
of Council land holdings. Council would utilise Government funding to provide housing-ready
subdivisions on which others will build.
The sale of the land was accepted by CIP as the Council’s local share, that enabled the drawdown
of CIP funding. Additionally, Council did receive $300,000 to cover consultants’ costs.
4.
How many homes will be rent to own type scenario vs public/state housing?
• 15 homes are to be Affordable Homes, i.e., homes made available to eligible purchasers.
• 14 homes are to be Worker Rental Homes, the titles will be registered with a land covenant to
secure the outcomes of worker rental homes.
• 15 homes are to be Public Homes.
5.
When discussed and considered, what were the issues considered with the proposal?
There were a number of matters considered, including the following:
• Accessibility to amenities
• Potential yields
• Infrastructure and utility provision
• Staging and engineering costs
• Hazards
• District Plan zoning; potential regional consents
• Iwi considerations
• Geotechnical assessment
6.
What considerations were given to neighbouring properties?
The Teitei site has an operative residential zoning. Consideration was given to making the lots on
the site boundary similar to those of existing adjoining lots and complying with the operative
residential zoning to take account of neighbouring properties.
Consideration was also given to local amenities such as the provision of parks and the interface with
Carrot Park and also connectivity issues.
Page 3
Roading access was also considered.
Masterplanning was undertaken to enable integration with existing developments and the adjoining
reserve. Urban design principles were adopted.
The Cheal Site Development Feasibility Report (18 December 2020) also notes that “The proposal
has the ability to be consistent within the District Plan Objectives and Policies with some pockets of
higher density. Based on a variety of lot sizes and the meeting of social and economic wellbeing
goals, it is likely to be granted consent, subject to conditions requiring detailed engineering design,
geotechnical considerations and planting plan provisions”.
The Sale and Development Agreement with Kāinga Ora includes “Good neighbour measures”.
7.
There have been 5 recent subdivisions created and more in the pipeline, why didn’t
Council and Kāinga Ora purchase lots in different areas, rather than grouping all
public housing together which could cause issues?
The proposal is not all public housing; it is a mix of affordable, worker rental and public housing.
8.
Has Council considered the impact to Carrot Park, with these public houses being
right on the most visited and tourism attraction to Ohakune?
Yes, Council did take account of the proximity of Carrot Park and that this provides a public amenity
for all residents (be they in public, affordable, worker rental or private homes), as well as tourists.
9.
What protections will be put in place to ensure law and order in such an intensified
public housing space?
The site is not only for public housing. Where there is public housing, it will be managed in
accordance with Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities Act 2019. This includes:
“Section 14 Operating Principles …
(b)
supporting tenants –
(i)
To be well connected to their communities;
(ii)
To end lives with dignity and the greatest degree of independence possible; and
(iii)
To sustain tenancies;
(c)
working with community providers to support tenants and ensure those most in need are
supported and housed;
(d)
being a fair and reasonable landlord, treating tenants and their neighbours with respect,
integrity and honesty;
(h)
assisting communities where it has housing stock to develop and thrive as cohesive and safe
places to live …”
Page 4
The Sale and Development Agreement is also based on partnering principles and this can allow the
Council to work with Kāinga Ora (and other government agencies) in terms of placement of local
Ohakune residents in public homes, if the development is approved.
10.
Any documentation, planning or discussion notes with regard to this project
Please visit the Kāinga Ora website, which may contain the information above. The link to this
website i
s Teitei Drive :: Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities (kaingaora.govt.nz)
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request with us, including this decision, please feel free to
contact me.
Yours sincerely
Clive Manley
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
