OWNER WILL FIGHT ON OVER BACH
An ageing Motueka stalwart will have to tear down his Tapu Bay bach, which now sits on esplanade reserve. John Krammer, 82, has owned the small corrugated iron bach for the past 30 years. Built in 1899, the bach, which was moved a short distance to its current site in the 1930s, now sits on a small headland, which was designated part of a wider council esplanade reserve in 1984. Last week, Tasman District councillors voted 9-4 to have Krammer remove the bach. They did not want to set a precedent by allowing it to remain in breach of the council’s recent policy banning private structures on esplanade reserves. In his report to councillors, property services manager Jim Frater said Krammer had asked to be allowed to keep the bach until his death, when it would be removed. He had agreed to proposed council conditions, including instructions in his will to remove the bach and he pay a $3000 bond to cover the cost of removal. However, council staff recommended Krammer be required to remove the bach in the next three months.
(The Nelson Mail Monday, February 16, 2015)
STRONG SUPPORT FOR CAMPGROUND
The Nelson City Council got two clear messages about the future of the Brook Valley Holiday Park last night: don’t close the campground, and don’t encourage more traffic in the Brook Valley. These were the two main themes raised by the 50 people who attended a public meeting in the council chamber to be updated on the progress of a draft Brook Recreation Reserve management plan. The plan will be drafted over the next two months. Greenaway said all suggestions would be represented. There would then be a two-month submissions period, followed by a public hearing of submissions, with final approval planned for late July.
(The Nelson Mail Wednesday, February 18, 2015)
CLEARING THE WAY FOR NEW HOUSING
The Government’s social housing policy is in action with the demolition of a block of three state houses in Orchard St, Stoke, which could be the start of a regeneration of the area. The homes were demolished yesterday, and the Nelson Tasman Housing Trust wants the site to build five new homes, the beginning of what it hopes will be a much bigger project. Housing New Zealand would not say what would happen with the site, only that it was still considering options. Trust chairman Keith Preston said it had been working with HNZ for two years, trying to work out a scheme, and that Nelson MP and Building and Housing Minister Nick Smith was keen for it to happen. HNZ South Island portfolio manager Ben Murphy said it would have been uneconomic to repair the 53-year-old buildings. There would be a significant cost in strengthening them and returning them to a standard suitable for tenanting. Demolition of the houses at the end of the Orchard St cul-de-sac began on Monday with the removal of the matai flooring and asbestos from the soffits. No other HNZ homes were due for demolition in the Nelson region, Murphy said.
(The Nelson Mail Thursday, February 19, 2015)
AIRPORT EYES BIG GROWTH
Big things for the small Nelson Airport complex are in the works as new chief executive Rob Evans gets comfortable in his new role. ‘‘It’s the best job in aviation in New Zealand,’’ said Evans. ‘‘There is a great opportunity for growth not just for the airport but for the region.’’ Evans, who started his role as new chief executive last week, said the airport was currently well run but was getting dated. The building complies with current earthquake standards, but Evans will assess whether to restrengthen or rebuild parts of the complex. ‘‘We are going to look at the options in the next few months. It will come down to meeting the demands of the growth in customers,’’ said Evans. Evans said Nelson Airport was well ahead of every other regional airport in New Zealand. ‘‘The passenger numbers alone show this. It punches well above its weight, it’s arguably one of the best regional airports in the South Pacific.’’
(The Nelson Mail Thursday, February 19, 2015)
FISH-HOOKS LED TO BROOK PLAN
A senior staff member found fishhooks in the Nelson City Council’s plans for the Brook Valley Holiday Park and led the council to decide on a recreation reserve management plan, information released under the Official Information Act shows. Brook Valley Community Group chairman Christopher St Johanser has been pursuing all the council’s documentation around the Brook Recreation Reserve Management Plan. He has now been supplied with a May 5 emailed report from council senior planning adviser Lisa Gibellini to former acting group community services manager Hugh Kettlewell, and then acting strategy and environment group manager Greg Carlyon. Gibellini told them she had found that the Brook Conservation Reserve did not cover the campground, and the existing lease for the Brook Waimarama Wildlife Sanctuary also excluded it. The council has floundered since it dropped a closure plan bombshell on the then-50 campground residents in March last year. Its original staff report was publicly criticised as inadequate by Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese, who sent the issue back to the committee. The residents formed a group to fight for the campground’s retention. About half have since left, while some casual camping has been allowed, but the cabins remain closed.
(The Nelson Mail Friday, February 20, 2015)
BACKING FOR GONDOLA RIDE SOARS WITH VIDEO
A video showcasing what a ride up and down the Fringed Hill Gondola might look like has attracted more than 1000 views since it was put online three months ago. Richmond videographer Gary Milbanke made the video over four months last year after being approached by Nelson Cycle Lift Society chairman Jo Rainey, and it has been posted online. The society is behind the gondola project, it says will be a boost for tourism. In its draft long-term plan released this month, the Nelson City Council has supported the gondola project in principle. The plan will be open for public consultation next month.
(The Nelson Mail Saturday, February 21, 2015)
PROPERTY VALUES PUSH UP RENTS
Nationally, rents were 9.1 per cent higher last month than they were a year earlier, figures published today by Trade Me Property show. The data comes from properties rented during January. The NZ-wide median rent rose $20 from December to January, to a record-high $420 a week. In Auckland they were $480 a week. The rental market was responding to pressure from landlords chasing better yields from investment property because of relentless growth in property prices, Trade Me Property head Nigel Jeffries said.
(The Nelson Mail Saturday, February 21, 2015)
THREE FAMILIES GET KEYS TO NEW HOMES
It’s moving in day for Jeanine Brunwin and her 3-month-old twins. The young mother is one of three tenant families who were unlocking the doors of brand new homes in Nelson’s Kawai St today. They are the culmination of a partnership between the Nelson Tasman Housing Trust, Jennian Homes, Housing New Zealand and the Nelson City Council. The two two-bedroom and one three-bedroom houses stand on a former Housing New Zealand site that stood empty for several years after the single house on the land was destroyed by a fire. HNZ sold the land to the housing trust at a discounted price, deferred settlement and supported the trust with consent applications. The council waived the scheme development contributions and the government contributed half of the scheme cost, with the trust taking out a loan for the remainder.
(The Nelson Mail Saturday, February 21, 2015)
"THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK"
There are two ways of spreading light:
to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.
Duke & Cooke Property News is a clipping service publication compiled by Duke & Cooke Ltd, valuation and property specialists. The information contained within this newssheet are excerpts of property-related articles from current local news sources. Full attribution is given for the source of the extracts in order that the reader may refer to the source articles for full information. As this publication is a clipping service only, the articles included do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Duke & Cooke, and these items are included impartially and objectively.