“Nelson’s housing problems are not as acute as Auckland’s but we need to address supply, quality and the difficulties for first home buyers. The Government’s programme is to increase new home construction by facilitating faster planning and consenting, new tenancy laws requiring better rental standards and the new HomeStart scheme to help families secure a deposit for their first home,” Dr Smith says.

The nine new SHAs approved by Cabinet are gazetted are:

• Toi Toi Street/Montreal Road/Princes Drive: 14 hectares, 200 homes
• Bishopdale Pottery: 4.7 hectares, 60 homes
• Ocean Lodge: 1.18 hectares, 40 homes
• Betts Carpark: 0.12 hectares, 20 homes
• Three Ridges: 5.57 hectares, 21 homes
• Barcelona Lofts: 0.13 hectares, 12 homes
• Paru Paru Road: 0.30 hectares, 40 homes
• Tahuna Housing Development: 0.16 hectares, 18 homes
• Orchard Street: 0.15 hectares, 6 homes

“The advantage of the Special Housing Area status is that it provides a far quicker process for areas to be zoned residential and a streamlined process for consenting. It will enable these 400 additional homes to come on-stream faster,” Dr Smith says.

“There is one proposed Special Housing Area in the Champion Road/Hill Street North area between Nelson and Richmond with the capacity for a further 200 homes which requires further work by council with landowners. My hope is that the issues can be resolved so it can be added to the programme.

“I acknowledge the work of council and its officials in progressing these nine Special Housing Areas. Nelson is growing confidently and we will need to keep up a supply of new housing if we are to avoid the sort of acute problems in Auckland.”