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Duke & Cooke Property News |
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Published on: 22nd September 2009 RESERVE POSSIBLE SITE RESERVE POSSIBLE SITETelecom is considering the western edge of Titoki Reserve in Dodson Valley, Atawhai, among several alternative sites for a proposed cellphone tower in the area. The company’s earlier plans to build a tower on its current telephone exchange site at Atawhai Crescent have drawn strong opposition from the neighbouring Atawhai Playcentre, Brightsparks preschool and local residents. The city council was to receive a report at its full council meeting this week recommending it approve a possible site on the council-owned reserve for a cellphone tower, after further consultation with the community and Telecom. (The Nelson Mail, Monday 14 September 2009) CREMATORIUM BACK ON AGENDAMarsden House Funeral home director Francis Day is having another crack at getting consent to build a controversial crematorium at Hope’s Gardens of the World. However, he is likely to again face opposition to his plans from a large group of residents in the area who say they will fight it. An application put forward by Mr Day to establish a gas-fired crematorium, cafe, memorial garden, reception area and chapel was declined by the Tasman District Council in July. A new application for the site, notified on Saturday, excludes Mr Day’s original plan for a reception centre to cater for up to 80 guests and cafe, and instead applies for a ticket kiosk for the garden entrance selling non-alcoholic refreshments and containing a ‘‘small office’’. The application again seeks consent for a crematorium, chapel, a memorial garden and to develop established buildings and car parking at the site. Mr Day is also appealing the council’s decision to turn down his first application, to the Environment Court. (The Nelson Mail, Tuesday 15 September 2009) NELSON HOUSING MARKET PICKS UPA boon in sales of lower-priced houses in Nelson city has forced a drop in the median price, says a local real estate expert. Real Estate Institute of New Zealand Nelson-Marlborough spokesman Vaughan Borcovsky said the median house price sat at $325,000 last month compared with $328,000 in August last year. However, a shortage of stock and an increased pool of buyers meant there was more activity in the market and more situations where there were multiple offers on houses, he said. In Nelson city, 73 houses sold in August compared with 59 in the same month last year, according to the monthly REINZ residential sales report. House sales in Tasman district have remained steady while the median price has increased. Last month, 22 property sales were recorded in Richmond at a median price of $392,500. In August last year the median was $367,000 and there were 23 sales. Motueka witnessed a similar trend with 15 sales last month compared with 14 sales in August 2008, but there was a more significant increase in the median price from $ 308,500 last August to $348,000 this year. (The Nelson Mail, Tuesday 15 September 2009) TASMAN SPORTS TRUST TO MANAGE SAXTON STADIUMThe Tasman Regional Sports Trust’s ambition for Saxton Field has taken a big step forward with it being awarded the contract to manage the brand new Saxton Stadium. Trust chief executive Nigel Muir said it represented a ‘‘ fantastic opportunity’’ for the trust to help deliver its mission of getting more people more active more often. The Nelson City Council yesterday named the trust as manager of the new $13 million stadium. The cost of the stadium development has been shared among sporting codes, the Nelson City Council and the Tasman District Council, with help from the New Zealand Community Trust, Canterbury Community Trust and the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board. The stadium houses five netball or basketball courts or up to 12 volleyball courts, and has a dedicated table tennis hall. ‘‘The opportunity that lies before us with this stadium and the wider 65-hectare Saxton Field development is simply enormous. Our region now has a real opportunity to become one of New Zealand’s iconic sport and recreation centres,’’ Mr Muir said. (The Nelson Mail, Tuesday 15 September 2009) CALL GOES OUT FOR PAINT JOBThe Moller Fountain on Haven Rd is looking "tatty and ratty" and needs a new paint job according to pupils at Auckland Point School - but it might have to wait a while. The school's pupils also called for a change to the fountain's colour scheme in 2005 when they said its pink-and-turquoise colour scheme had become boring. They suggested the fountain's current purple-and-gold colouring. After giving the OK for the school to revamp the fountain, which was built in 1940, the council said it did not have the estimated $5400 needed to fund the paint job. After a heartfelt plea from some of the children to the council, Master Painters and Benjamin Moore Paints stepped in and donated paint and labour for the job. The council gave $2000 towards the project. A letter back from Mr Marshall to the children this year said the same thing - there was not enough money. The council's divisional manager community services Susan Coleman said the council would consider repainting at the start of spring, 2010, but it would have to go through the annual plan round. In the meantime, the council has asked Nelmac to give the fountain a tidy-up, and retouch the paintwork. No decision has been made on the colour. (The Nelson Mail, Wednesday 16 September 2009) CITY SITES IN TREATY PACKAGESeveral key central Nelson sites, including land on which the police station, courthouse and a number of schools sit, will be offered to Te Tau Ihu Maori as part of a treaty settlements package. The sites have been identified as part of a total redress package outlined in a presentation to the Nelson City Council this week by the Office of Treaty Settlements. Commercial redress will give Maori across Te Tau Ihu (top of the south) the right to be gifted, or buy, more than 140 Crown properties in the area, and makes 73 Crown agency sites available for sale and leaseback. In Nelson city they include the Nelson Army Drill Hall in Rutherford St, the central police station, Nelson Courthouse, and more than 20 schools in the Nelson area. As part of the settlement deal Te Tau Ihu claimant groups will also be given the right of first refusal over about 1100 Housing New Zealand properties in the region if they came up for sale, Office of Treaty Settlements members Justine Smith, Tim Saunders and Matthew Russell told councillors at Thursday’s workshop. The multistep negotiation process is now at the stage where agreement in principle has been made and a deed of settlement will be prepared for signing by February next year. What's offered - The right to be gifted or purchase 14-plus Crown properties in total across the northern South Island. - 65 properties available for full-commercial transfer. - 73 Crown agency sites available for sale and leaseback. Properties include: Nelson Army drill hall, Nelson central police station, Nelson Courthouse (DOC land, will retain reserve status), more than 20 schools in the Nelson area. - Right of first refusal over about 1100 Housing NZ properties in the region. - Ngati Toa and Tainui Taranaki offered opportunity to buy half each by value of 78,000 hectares of Crown forest land. (The Nelson Mail, Saturday 19 September 2009) NEW SITE PLAN FOR TELECOM CELL TOWERThe way has been opened for Telecom to start a public consultation over Titoki Reserve in Dodson Valley as a site for a planned cellphone tower. Telecom agreed last year to look at alternative sites in Atawhai, following controversy over its plans to build a new tower on land it owned near the Atawhai Playcentre, to support development of its 3G network. Strong public opposition led to Telecom putting its plans on hold until this year. The Nelson City Council on Thursday agreed to allow Telecom to consider the western edge of Titoki Reserve, which is councilowned, as a potential site for the tower. However, any decision to allow the use of the site was subject to the results of the consultation process, detailed information on the effects on the reserve, likely annual rental to the council and identification of required statutory approval processes. Representatives of the playcentre and Ban the Tower were at Thursday’s full council meeting to reiterate their ‘‘ absolute opposition’’ to use of the site next to the playcentre and to support the recommendation giving Telecom approval to consider the Titoki Reserve site. (The Nelson Mail, Saturday 19 September 2009) PROPERTY WATCHMata Close tenders The largest Abbeyfield project in New Zealand is expected to start taking shape at Mata Close in Tahunanui in November. Abbeyfield Mata Close chairman Bruce Kaye said tenders had been invited for the 723sqm complex to house people over the age of 55. It will include studios with ensuites for 11 residents and a self-contained apartment for the live-in housekeeper. The weekly rent would be about $300 to cover all power, rates, food, building maintenance and group upkeep, he said. ‘‘The response from potential residents has been very positive.’’ Abbeyfield is a non-profit organisation owned by the local community. The $2.2 million Mata Close project received a $705,000 grant from the Government’s Housing Innovation Fund earlier this year. ‘‘The Mata Close committee continues to fundraise and welcomes offers of assistance and expressions of interest from potential residents or their families,’’ Mr Kaye said. Lodge sells after a year An architecturally designed lodge at St Arnaud that was priced at more than $1 million when it first hit the market more than a year ago has now sold for a much lesser figure. It was most recently advertised at offers over $850,000. Ray White agent Brian Burke said the lodge sold to a local couple after lots of negotiations that included leasing some of the land back to the vendor. Therefore, the asking price wasn’t achieved. While the market for that property was small, Mr Burke said there were plenty of people looking for St Arnaud properties under $300,000. ‘‘My problem is, I’ve run out of baches to sell – in the last six months, I’ve sold everything I had.’’ Cheapies site changes Plans are under way to demolish three shops and an upstairs flat on a highprofile Tahunanui site. The Automobile Company owns the corner Tahunanui Dr and Bisley Ave site housing the Car Company’s Cheapies yard, some shops and an upstairs flat. Shane Drummond, a director of both companies, said the property had been on the market for several months and two tenants had opted not to renew their leases. ‘‘Rather than trying to re-lease the shops and office in today’s market, we thought it would be better for us to expand the yard, which we know is doing well. It’s a positive move for a negative reason.’’ The demolition would make the site more appealing to potential developers and the Cheapies yard would shift elsewhere if it sold, he said. The Automobile Company is awaiting approval to do the work and hopes to have it completed by the end of November (The Nelson Mail, Saturday 19 September 2009) DID YOU KNOW?Duke & Cooke independent valuations can be used for expert evidence before tribunals and courts. THOUGHT FOR THE WEEKMan and the turtle are very much alike. Neither makes any progress without sticking his neck out. |
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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 |