The draft plan tackles housing affordability, supply, choice, and quality
The Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) is seeking community feedback on a draft to improve housing in the area.
“These housing measures will set out council’s role in influencing change in the housing system through advocacy, partnership and local action, and we’re very keen to hear what our community thinks about these proposals,” Queenstown Lakes mayor Jim Boult said.
Read more: Government’s progressive home ownership scheme gathering pace
The current draft of the Queenstown Lakes Homes Strategy and Action Plan laid out the district’s proposed strategic direction and vision for housing over the next decade.
The four outcomes are: to increase affordable housing options; to create a range of housing choices for everyone; to guarantee healthy, warm, and sustainable homes; and to strengthen government partnerships to produce better and faster housing outcomes.
Meanwhile, the QLDC is also looking into creating rules for inclusionary zoning — a planning intervention that provides developers incentives to increase the number of affordable homes for low- to moderate-income families.
The proposed policy options are:
- Updating the district plan to reduce and remove controls that affect affordability, and, at the same time, negotiate with developers to provide retained affordable housing when council is able;
- Updating the district plan to provide a bonus to developers for the provision of retained affordable housing;
- Updating the district plan to implement a mandatory requirement for developers to include some retained affordable housing for new developments only; and
- Update the District Plan to implement a mandatory contribution to include some retained affordable housing for both new development and redevelopments.
Community feedback for both initiatives closes on September 26.
