The most affordable suburb to buy a house in Nelson has also been hailed as one of the city’s most promising up-and coming locations. Toi Toi has the highest proportion of houses valued under $400,000, according to data provided by Core Logic.
A buyer with a minimum deposit of $40,000 and a stable income to service a $360,000 mortgage could afford 95.9 per cent of houses in Toi Toi. The median house price in Toi Toi was $303,000, up 10.5 per cent in the year to August.
Nelson-Tasman's most / least affordable areas
Most affordable areas - NELSON % of houses under $400,000
Toi Toi - 95.9%
Washington Valley - 80.0%
Nelson South - 66.7%
The Brook - 65.8%
Wakatu - 64.5%
TASMAN
Murchison - 97.2%
Rotoroa - 96.7%
Puponga - 91.7%
Rockville - 91.7%
Tapawera - 90.2%
Least affordable areas - NELSON % of houses under $400,000
Britannia Heights - 4.4%
Todds Valley - 7.8%
Glenduan - 10.8%
Moana - 12.5%
Marybank -18.8%
TASMAN
Redwood Valley - 1.1%
Kaiteriteri - 3.8%
Ruby Bay - 4.4%
Mapua - 7.4%
Tata Beach - 13.2%
(The Nelson Mail, Tuesday, August 30th, 2016)
Despite the setbacks, the final stages of the Trafalgar Centre redevelopment are underway with a new opening date set for November.
Passersby may have noticed the new entranceway taking shape, replacing the former northern building that was demolished last year.
The foundations for the entrance were laid in June, construction started in July and the windows were going in on Tuesday, Nelson City Council’s consulting engineer Richard Kirby said. He said it would be the last major works of the project, which started in September last year.
Kirby said the opening date had been ‘‘pushed back quite a lot’’ but ‘‘at this stage’’ it was scheduled to be ready by mid-November.
The stadium area will be opened for two events in September - music festival Snaparock and the Silver Ferns netball clash with Jamaica.
Charity boxing event Fight 4 Victory was also scheduled to be held there on November 4, prior to the official opening. Kirby said people attending those events would find the main stadium had progressed further than when the centre was opened for the Nelson Giants basketball season.
(The Nelson Mail, Wednesday, August 31st, 2016)
It’s almost a question of ‘‘where to next’’ for Richmond as the rapid growth of the Tasman town outstrips predictions, chewing through the land suitable for development.
The settlement area had 13,476 residents at the 2013 Census, which was tipped to jump to 14,132 for 2018 and 14,970 for 2025 in the Tasman District Council 2015-25 Long Term Plan. However, those forecasts have been revised upwards as TDC works on a new growth strategy.
Information released this week shows the population projection under a high-growth scenario has risen to 15,897 for 2018-21. Even allowing for just medium growth, the projection is 15,161 for 2018-21 – more than 190 above the original forecast for 2025.
Developer Simon Collett said Richmond was the main area of growth in the Nelson-Tasman region with no large areas of flat land left for development in the Nelson city area.
However, a major sticking point for developers is that suitable land for development with trunk services in situ is in short supply. Those services include water, stormwater, wastewater and roads.
He added that he believed TDC was about five years behind in its planning for residential growth including the provision of trunk services.
TDC environment and planning manager Dennis Bush-King said the council infrastructure was ‘‘under pressure because growth is occurring at a faster rate than when we did the Long Term Plan three years ago’’.
The council was working directly with developers to try and determine where any extensions to the urban boundaries of Richmond could be located.
(The Nelson Mail, Wednesday, August 31st, 2016)
Despite a three-month search for a rental property, Nelson woman Rebekah Smith cannot find a home to live in.
Her need for an easily-accessible home has highlighted a lack of suitable housing in Nelson for those with limited ability.
Smith was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 18 years ago and has been in a wheelchair for the last year and a half. She’s had the help of five property managers over the last three months but still has been unable to find anywhere suitable to rent.
Haven Property Management manager Jeanette Aspin said there was a shortage of accessible properties in Nelson for wheelchair users.
(The Nelson Mail, Thursday, September 1st, 2016)
The Tasman District Council has sailed past the targets set by the Tasman District Housing Accord it signed with the Government in 2015.
Under the agreement, TDC was tasked with ensuring there were 130 additional sections made available in the year to June 30 along with issuing 320 consents for new dwellings. Both ‘‘aspirational targets’’ were exceeded with 228 serviced and saleable lots coming on stream and 394 consents issued for new dwellings.
Mayor Richard Kempthorne tips the rapid growth will continue.
Nelson MP Nick Smith, who signed the accord in his capacity as Building and Housing Minister, said the council had done well in meeting the targets. He signalled another agreement could be en route.
The accord was signed on May 15, 2015 and is due to terminate this month. Its first aim is to ‘‘increase the supply of affordable housing in Tasman district with particular focus on Richmond, Motueka and Wakefield’’.
(The Nelson Mail, Friday, September 2nd, 2016)
Some Richmond residents say they feel shut out of the process to determine whether there will be a plan change to pave the way for a proposed Countdown supermarket in the town.
Progressive Enterprises Ltd has lodged a private plan change request seeking the rezoning of about 1.3 hectares of land on the corner of Salisbury and Champion roads from residential to commercial, paving the way for the proposed supermarket. A hearing is scheduled for October, to be presided over by independent commissioner David McMahon.
Three Richmond residents, including Cr Judene Edgar, spoke at the public forum section of the Tasman District Council environment and planning committee meeting on Thursday, outlining their frustrations with the process.
One of the speakers, former TDC engineer Jim Wareing, said the council did not need a commissioner to make the decision.
(The Nelson Mail, Saturday, September 3rd, 2016)
Non-notified consents have been granted for a planned Caltex service station on the corner of Salisbury and Champion roads in Richmond.
The site at 149 Salisbury Rd is across the main road from a property earmarked for a proposed Countdown supermarket and opposite a line of businesses along Champion Rd including Raeward Fresh.
Tasman District Council resource consents manager Phil Doole told councillors at the environment and planning committee on Thursday that it wasn’t an easy decision.
The site, which used to be owned by the council, is zoned tourist services. The rules for that zone specifically exclude petrol stations.
“But there’s no non-complying rule or prohibitive rule,” Doole said. “So under the law, it defaults to a discretionary activity.”
The conclusion, after listening to traffic experts and considering issues of “sound, operating hours, all those things, very conscious of the people across the road, night-time noise on them and early morning noise, given the constraints on the operation volunteered and so on, the conclusion was that it met the tests and out didn’t need notification”.
(The Nelson Mail, Saturday, September 3rd, 2016)
“One today is worth
two tomorrows.”
Benjamin Franklin