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Duke & Cooke Property News |
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Published on: 31st August 2009 TASMAN REFUSES TO REVEAL TOXIC SITES TASMAN REFUSES TO REVEAL TOXIC SITESThe Tasman District Council is refusing to follow the Nelson City Council’s lead in disclosing a list of the region’s potentially contaminated sites. The city council’s list reveals 456 sites within its boundary which are potentially contaminated based on historic land use such as former orchard, horticultural or sheep-dip locations.The site register has been released to The Nelson Mail following an Official Information Act request. The same request to the district council was declined, with the council stating in a letter to The Nelson Mail it had an obligation to landowners to classify risk levels. The council has a register of more than 800 potentially contaminated sites. ‘‘We have advised the landowners that information will be disclosed should a Land Information Memorandum be requested, but that information would not otherwise be disclosed on a general basis,’’ Tasman District Council environment and planning manager Dennis Bush-King said in the letter. The Nelson City Council’s site register lists the addresses where the potentially contaminated sites are, but does not contain the names of property owners. City council planning and consents divisional manager Richard Johnson said the list was not as detailed as the public might have expected, which was a staff time and resources problem. For the vast majority of the sites, contamination had not been verified, he said. (The Nelson Mail, Monday 24 August 2009) THEATRE FANS TAKE A LOOK AT CHANGESEager Nelsonians filled the Theatre Royal on Saturday, keen to discover what changes have been taking place behind closed doors for the past 18 months. The deteriorating wooden theatre was closed in December 2005, and a restoration project began in March last year. The open day attracted about 1800 people, who filed through the theatre doors for a tour, 10 at a time. (The Nelson Mail, Monday 24 August 2009) BUYING A HOME EASIER FOR SOMEHome affordability in Nelson and Marlborough continues to improve for typical buyers, but has worsened for first home buyers. Overall, the BNZ Home Loan Affordability measure was unchanged in July from June as interest rates and house prices steadied. (The Nelson Mail, Monday 24 August 2009) REST HOME FACES CLOSUREOmiao victim of oversupply Omaio Village Rest Home in Stoke is facing closure because there are too many rest homes in Nelson. Geoff Hipkins, chief executive of Oceania Group, which owns the rest home, yesterday announced the likely closure to Omaio’s 38 staff and 31 elderly residents, with a decision expected next week. Omaio Village was set up in 1981 by the Salvation Army, which later sold it. The 50-bed rest home employs seven fulltime, 23 part-time and eight casual staff. Omaio Village also has independent living units and the proposal does not affect these. Healthcare Providers Nelson Marlborough branch chairman Tom Nimmo said there was an oversupply of beds in the short term, particularly in Stoke, but that would disappear in the mid to longer term. ‘‘Nelson will need more [beds] than it has now. In the next 10-15 years Nelson will most probably need another two facilities in the region to meet the needs of the baby-boomers who are now coming up to retiring age.’’ (The Nelson Mail, Tuesday 25 August 2009) KEEPING THE 'ECO' IN DECORJames and Natalia Harrington are aiming to get their message about green building and design across to the public loud and clear through a new store they have opened in Nelson. Hybrid Homes & Living, in Achilles Ave, showcases sustainable building products and is an offshoot of their sustainable home building business. The store displays products ranging from furnishings to wind and solar power systems, and has a show kitchen, bedroom and bathroom demonstrating how to use products that are kinder on the environment and more energyefficient. The Harringtons have built three hybrid homes and are working on another four. The homes, called hybrid because they combine traditional design with eco-friendly features, are designed to use minimal or zero energy and have a minimal impact on the environment. (The Nelson Mail, Thursday 27 August 2009) DECISIONS BEING FINALISED IN COMPLEX REZONING PROCESSAfter more than 100 hours of deliberation, Tasman district councillors are finalising their decisions on the Richmond West rezoning proposal. District council policy manager Steve Markham said the council intended to advertise its Richmond West plan changes in The Nelson Mail on September 26. The changes will legally take affect on September 28 and there will be a six-week period for appeals to be lodged. (The Nelson Mail, Thursday 27 August 2009) BEACH EROSION WORSENSNelson City Council will employ a coastal engineer to examine increasing erosion on the back beach at Tahunanui. The car park has been eroded as the sea has washed over it, and the roots of pine trees undermined. A coastal engineer would look at the sand movement and currents to advise the council on what was happening so it could manage it better, he said. (The Nelson Mail, Friday 28 August 2009) PROJECT MONEY RUNS OUTChurch centre stalls The entire project, which is expected to cost $6m, is owned by the Richmond-based Grace Church. The shell of the building has been completed and has space for a 630-seat auditorium with adjoining foyer and meeting rooms. However, the mission to finish it has come to ‘‘a grinding halt’’ after funds dried up despite a $500,000 donation from some members of the church congregation. Project co-ordinator Ken Polglase said the donors wished to remain anonymous, even within the church. (The Nelson Mail, Saturday 29 August 2009) PROPERTY WATCHSales boost confidence Nelson’s commercial property market is weathering the recession ‘‘pretty well’’, Duke and Cooke investment property specialist Murray Lauchlan says in the firm’s latest Outlook Property Report. Some of the sales he cites as evidence of this include the Lone Star building in Hardy St, which has a 15-year lease in place and sold to a Christchurch investor in January for $1.15 miilion; the former Printhouse building in Rutherford St, which Summit Real Estate is shifting into after it was purchased for $1.875m; and the Nelson Central Arcade, anchored by the Farmers store, which fetched $8.95m in January. Mr Lauchlan said research showed that retail rent values had declined 5 to 10 per cent during the past year. ‘‘Office and industrial rentals remain under pressure, with no evidence yet of a similar decline.’’ New hair salon planned Plans are under way for a hairdressing salon to open in the Sands Apartment building at Tahunanui. Hair in Mapua owner Carolyn Wallif-Tomlins and manager Pauline Sutherland are joint owners of the new salon, called Hair Rocks. ‘‘We think it’s a great location,’’ Mrs Wallif-Tomlins said. ‘‘The whole ambience of the place is great, and the other businesses there complement what we’re doing.’’ The salon will employ four staff, and they hope to open in September. Most of the commercial units in the Sands building are now tenanted. July buyers dig deep July saw a significant increase in higher price bracket property sales in the Nelson region, with many achieving prices above rateable value. The latest Real Estate Institute statistics show that a five-bedroom home at 375 Wakefield Quay, Nelson with an RV of $680,000 was listed at $740,000 in February and sold in July for $835,000. A four-bedroom home at 103 Brabant Drive, Ruby Bay with an RV of $735,000 sold for $905,000. A five-bedroom place at 14 Peninsula Rd in Tata, Golden Bay with an RV of $640,000 sold for $1.015m; an eightbedroom home at 53 Trafalgar St, Nelson with an RV of $710,000 fetched $915,000; and a four-bedroom home at 71 Marlow St, Stoke with an RV of $550,000 went for $675,000. Meanwhile, a four-bedroom home at 55 Redvale Rd in Redwood Valley with an RV of $915,000 sold for $870,000, and a three-bedroom place at 455 Rocks Rd, Nelson with an RV of $710,000 went for $625,000. Sections more popular Harcourts is reporting a notable increase in interest in residential sections around the country, including in Nelson and Tasman. A 933-square metre section in Observatory Terrace, off Princes Drive in Nelson, had been listed with the agency for a week when it received two offers and sold prior to auction for $145,000. Its RV is $140,000. Harcourts Nelson principal Amanda James said it had been ‘‘quite some time’’ since a section sold that quickly in the city. Harcourts Golden Bay agent Nikki Ryan said increased vendor motivation and low interest rates appeared to be driving sales. ‘‘In particular, there has been a lot of activity in the lower end of the market, and at least half of the buyers have said while they couldn’t afford to build for a few years, they wanted to buy the land while the prices were good and interest rates low.’’ 'Arty' home snapped up A two-bedroom character home at 32a The Ridgeway, near Enner Glynn School, sold before its first open home last weekend, Summit agent Michael Fox said. The 1960s home on a 325sq m property has an RV of $235,000 and was listed for $269,000. ‘‘What made it popular is it was arty,’’ he said. The home was tenanted and ‘‘beautifully presented’’. It received multiple offers and sold to clients for ‘‘very close to asking price’’, Mr Fox said. (The Nelson Mail, Saturday 29 August 2009) DID YOU KNOW?The Duke & Cooke range of services includes market research. THOUGHT FOR THE WEEKThe real problem concerning your leisure is how to keep other people from using it. |
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This publication is compiled by Duke & Cooke Ltd, valuation and property specialists. The information contained within this newssheet has been obtained from various local sources and no responsibility is held for any parties relying on the accuracy of this information without obtaining independent verification. To contact us regarding circulation of this service: Phone +64 (03) 5489104, Fax +64 (03) 5468668, or email: admin@valuersnelson.co.nz |