Issue number one - planned and managed housing development
My last post was a bit of a reflection on the last three years and I deliberately kept it positive in thinking about the work that I have personally done in the community and about the strategic visioning from the Master Plan that seeks to steer us in a planned growth model. I didn't really touch on what I would like to see happen next and therefore why I might be a person worthy of your vote.
First and foremost I am a cool head in what has been some volatile situations on our board. I bring a balanced view point and a pragmatism about what is actually going to be a workable solution. Sure, I've been frustrated by slow progress and politicking but there is no point in holding grudges and looking backwards - it is not the direction that we want to be moving in.
So what are the key issues from my perspective? What is worthy of our time, attention and opening the Cromwell Community Board purse strings for? Remembering that I am not as naive and new as I was three years ago and I am well aware that grand promises just won't wash it in a governance role in the bureaucracy of local government.
Probably the first thing to say is that our community board is unlike any others around the country. The delegations afforded to our board from the CODC give us actual opportunities for local decision making. Most community boards have limited grants budgets and no opportunities to have a say in their communities. With this unique position we have a real responsibility to use these delegations to make a positive difference to our town and to manage our finances effectively in order to complete the infrastructure projects that Cromwell would like to see. If we abuse this position or do anything too crazy the CODC will override us and strip away our ability to practice localism as effectively as we do.
The biggest concern for me and the focus of this blog post is about planned residential development that will help us meet the housing needs of our growing workforce and population.
We have been growing at a bit of a pace for some time now. I moved here nearly 18 years ago with a six, four and one and a half year old, to take a position at Goldfields School, that started the 2002 school year with 67 students and was a school under stress and facing possible closure. We went from about 14 new entrant enrolments in 2002 to 40 in 2003. Housing stock was mostly ministry housing that was in need of renovation and there were an awful lot of empty houses - used for a few weeks a year for holidays and there were lots of empty sections. We are now a school of about 300, we have had six new classrooms built in the last 5 years and there are several new housing areas around our school. Ministry housing stock is being reinvigorated and rental houses are rare as hens teeth.
We have families who are really struggling to make ends meet and those who face uncertainty of tenure in their rental homes, as landlords look to get the equity out of their properties, and tenants find themselves having to search for suitable accommodation in a tight and expensive market. Lack of suitable housing has flow on effects for all. It is really hard to attract skilled workers if they can't find places to live.
As a principal I see this from two perspectives - one as an employer trying to attract a skilled workforce who then need appropriate accommodation and the other as the leader of a community that has members struggling. Both have impacts on my school with attraction and retention of staff and with transience of families who cannot find appropriate housing in Cromwell at an affordable price. This is an issue that has impacts for all employers in Cromwell.
Affordability is a key housing issue across our whole country - we are not alone in house prices and rentals becoming unaffordable for many households and unfortunately there aren't a whole lot of easy solutions - otherwise someone much cleverer than me would already have come up with them.
The other key issues around housing development for Cromwell lie with the desire to see development happen within the existing town boundaries - Cromwell is not keen on sprawling development on the outskirts, which is very much evidenced with the vehement opposition to Plan Change 13 - which is of course currently awaiting a decision from the independent commissioner.
The spatial framework of the Cromwell Master Plan is a starting point for us in trying to ensure that development is possible within the town boundaries. But this isn't an easy proposition, it is going to take a bit of compromise and rethinking about types and styles of housing and about where housing areas may be able to be developed - remembering of course this is strategic thinking and there are a whole lot of considerations to be made along the way.
We know that the greenway network and the provision of green spaces is a complete bottom line for the Cromwell community. We have definitely heard that and the spatial plan does take this into consideration. Our greenway system is such an asset and we are all keen to see this active transport network be continued and maintained with any new developments. We want to make sure our children have play and safe walking spaces, particularly when section sizes in some areas may be smaller.
In summary there are no hard and fast solutions. The spatial framework is a strategic starting point but as with anything there will be compromise - we can't have it all ways. If we don't want sprawl we might have to cope with smaller section sizes for some developments or different styles of housing in some areas. The essential thing is that we continue to keep the conversations open and frank as our town grows and changes.
 |
| Cromwell - what do I have to offer for it's future? |
So what are the key issues from my perspective? What is worthy of our time, attention and opening the Cromwell Community Board purse strings for? Remembering that I am not as naive and new as I was three years ago and I am well aware that grand promises just won't wash it in a governance role in the bureaucracy of local government.
Probably the first thing to say is that our community board is unlike any others around the country. The delegations afforded to our board from the CODC give us actual opportunities for local decision making. Most community boards have limited grants budgets and no opportunities to have a say in their communities. With this unique position we have a real responsibility to use these delegations to make a positive difference to our town and to manage our finances effectively in order to complete the infrastructure projects that Cromwell would like to see. If we abuse this position or do anything too crazy the CODC will override us and strip away our ability to practice localism as effectively as we do.
The biggest concern for me and the focus of this blog post is about planned residential development that will help us meet the housing needs of our growing workforce and population.
We have been growing at a bit of a pace for some time now. I moved here nearly 18 years ago with a six, four and one and a half year old, to take a position at Goldfields School, that started the 2002 school year with 67 students and was a school under stress and facing possible closure. We went from about 14 new entrant enrolments in 2002 to 40 in 2003. Housing stock was mostly ministry housing that was in need of renovation and there were an awful lot of empty houses - used for a few weeks a year for holidays and there were lots of empty sections. We are now a school of about 300, we have had six new classrooms built in the last 5 years and there are several new housing areas around our school. Ministry housing stock is being reinvigorated and rental houses are rare as hens teeth.
We have families who are really struggling to make ends meet and those who face uncertainty of tenure in their rental homes, as landlords look to get the equity out of their properties, and tenants find themselves having to search for suitable accommodation in a tight and expensive market. Lack of suitable housing has flow on effects for all. It is really hard to attract skilled workers if they can't find places to live.
As a principal I see this from two perspectives - one as an employer trying to attract a skilled workforce who then need appropriate accommodation and the other as the leader of a community that has members struggling. Both have impacts on my school with attraction and retention of staff and with transience of families who cannot find appropriate housing in Cromwell at an affordable price. This is an issue that has impacts for all employers in Cromwell.
Affordability is a key housing issue across our whole country - we are not alone in house prices and rentals becoming unaffordable for many households and unfortunately there aren't a whole lot of easy solutions - otherwise someone much cleverer than me would already have come up with them.
The other key issues around housing development for Cromwell lie with the desire to see development happen within the existing town boundaries - Cromwell is not keen on sprawling development on the outskirts, which is very much evidenced with the vehement opposition to Plan Change 13 - which is of course currently awaiting a decision from the independent commissioner.
The spatial framework of the Cromwell Master Plan is a starting point for us in trying to ensure that development is possible within the town boundaries. But this isn't an easy proposition, it is going to take a bit of compromise and rethinking about types and styles of housing and about where housing areas may be able to be developed - remembering of course this is strategic thinking and there are a whole lot of considerations to be made along the way.
We know that the greenway network and the provision of green spaces is a complete bottom line for the Cromwell community. We have definitely heard that and the spatial plan does take this into consideration. Our greenway system is such an asset and we are all keen to see this active transport network be continued and maintained with any new developments. We want to make sure our children have play and safe walking spaces, particularly when section sizes in some areas may be smaller.
In summary there are no hard and fast solutions. The spatial framework is a strategic starting point but as with anything there will be compromise - we can't have it all ways. If we don't want sprawl we might have to cope with smaller section sizes for some developments or different styles of housing in some areas. The essential thing is that we continue to keep the conversations open and frank as our town grows and changes.
Comments
Post a Comment