Waimakariri District Council
There is ongoing development throughout North Canterbury.
Waimakariri and Hurunui district councils continue to process large numbers of new home approvals as the housing boom shows no signs of letting go.
In the six months to June 30, 435 new housing permits were issued in the Waimakariri district.
While this is 12% lower than the same period last year, more than 400 clearances was a normal year for Waimakariri before the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, Deputy Mayor Neville Atkinson said.
Last year 935 permits were issued for new homes and a similar result was forecast for this year.
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“It’s really booming. Why wouldn’t you want to live in Waimakariri?” said Atkinson.
“When we set the rates for this year, we estimate the reach at about 900 clearances and we’re halfway through six months, so we’re definitely on track.”
Woodend led the way with 144 clearances, followed by Kaiapoi with 139 and 86 clearances in rural areas.
There were 38 permits issued in Pegasus and only 25 in Rangiora.
Atkinson said most of Kaiapoi’s growth has been in the Silverstream subdivision, with the smaller sections and high-density enclosures.
David Hill/LDRO
Waimakariri Deputy Mayor Neville Atkinson says region is ‘booming’
As Rangiora’s approval numbers plummeted, it would soon pick up again with new developments in the pipeline.
A proposed subdivision in Rangiora, Bellgrove, was recently? accelerated under the Covid-19 Recovery Fast-track Consenting Act 2020.
The 63-hectare site is expected to open shortly for 209 sections in phase one and up to 1,100 sections over five phases.
The population of Waimakariri district has already passed 66,000 and is on track to exceed 78,000 by 2031.
Long-term projections suggest that Waimakariri could approach 100,000 by 2048, while Rangiora is expected to pass 30,000.
JOHN KIRK ANDERSON/STUFF
The population of Rangiora is expected to exceed 30,000 by 2048.
Kaiapoi is not expected to have room for expansion, but could continue to grow with “infill” and subdivision into smaller sections and higher-density enclosures, Atkinson said.
“That’s one of those issues that we’re going to face, whether people see it as a good thing or not is another story.”
He said careful planning and collaboration with the Greater Christchurch partners was essential.
“We cannot rest on our laurels when planning our future.
“We need to make sure that our systems can handle growth and that we can keep up with climate change.
“And we must remember that everything flows to Kaiapoi, so we must be” smarter use of our water systems.”
GOODS
Housing Secretary Megan Woods and Environment Secretary David Parker announce a bill change allowing landowners to build up to three stories without resource permission. (First published October 2021)
The Hurunui County Council issued 194 permits for new homes in the year to June 30, up from 118 the previous year — a 60% increase, construction and property manager Kerry Walsh said.
Amberley led the way with 100 new home permits, followed by Hanmer Springs with 45 permits.
The total number of permits issued in the past six months was 317 with a construction value of $52 million, compared to 300 with a value of $42 million for the same period last year.
Kaikōura County Council has issued 73 building permits for the first six months of this year, after issuing 154 building permits in the 2021 calendar year.
The council also issued 50 resource permits (such as subdivisions and land use), compared to 44 resource permits for the same period last year.