Why is Racecourse Housing Development Scratched but Guildford's Silverstream Development Gallops on?
- NZ Empowered
- Nov 30, 2024
- 3 min read
UPDATE:
Those fighting the Silverstream Spur have put out an update on how the inclusion of Guildford's Silverstream development in the Fast Track process may impact on the Spur and the outcome from Upper Hutt Councils Decision recently to make the spur an Open Space - Take a look here and watch out for any announcements on 18th October 2024.
21st October Community Hui Update
At the community Hui Mary Beth highlighted that she believes that the Fast Track bill can’t change the decisions from Plan Change 49, and without Plan Change 50 changes Guildford cannot go ahead with the Silverstream Development. We are awaiting more information from Mary Beth and/or Jason to follow up with this.
For more on what was discussed at the Hui see the Hui Minutes.
FAST TRACK Conflict of interests
Should some be even on the list or was it the conflict of interests that have got them there?
Will this bring into question how many got on the fast track... Should these people not have declared this prior to the list, and who also may have had a conflict of interest in the previous steps to get to this point if any?
Upper Hutt Council Submission Summary.
Upper Hutt Council have put out a summary of their submission to the governments fast-track bill for discussion at the 16th October council meeting. May have relevant information for those following this.
Points of interest:
Final decisions on projects would not sit with the ministers, but with the expert panel.
Expert panels will now include:
Expertise in environmental matters
An iwi authority representative only when required by Treaty settlements
Māori development and te ao Māori expertise in place of mātauranga Māori
Applicants would also be required to include information on previous decisions by approving authorities. For those new to this like us, this could include Councils Plan Change 47, 49 etc. Plan Change XX or PCXX are when the councils district plans are reviewed and changes are made.
More Information.
For those who want to learn a little bit about the history around the Silver Stream and the Spur.
Public Meeting in June 2024 on the Plan Change 50 - Rural Review (PC50)
Original Article
A scratched project with a $12.4m "Infrastructure Acceleration Fund" government investment for the development at the Racecourse, which has not been claimed by the developer due to the early stage of the process.
The Hutt and Upper Hutt Councils putting hurdles in the way of the Guildford Silverstream Development with opposition due to Landfill consent's and Acceptance of Commissioners recommendation's of Open Space categorisation respectively.
Just remember, at this point this has not been approved to develop but seems to be galloping on.
Questions have to be asked, why is the Guildford's Silverstream Development development on the fast track list and seeming like its full steam ahead?
Now that Gillies Group has scratched the Trentham Racecourse project due to financial viability, why is Guildford Timber Company (GTC) still pushing forward and delighted to be up for government Fast Tracking and continuing with the potential development of the Guildford's Silverstream Development which seems a much more complex and costly development.
Is the government in putting this development through the fast track process helping with affordable housing or assisting developers to get rich? We can only imagine what the affordability of the proposed houses on the Silverstream hills could be, not to mention the potential infrastructure investment required from the Upper Hutt Council and the impacts on the already stressed infrastructure and social services (Schools, Doctors, etc.).
Are we looking at affordable housing or more get rich development and infrastructure investment debt for Upper Hutt?
Why is it that one prominent developer is scratching developments due to financial viability?
And another Upper Hutt developer "delighted" to be on the fast track path and by all accounts pushing forward with the development?
The infrastructure costs alone seems more expensive for the Guildford's Silverstream Development. Where is the funding for these infrastructure costs to support the Guildford's Silverstream Development actually coming from?
How is this actually viable for the developer in this economic climate?
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