‘Granny flat’ change comes with risks

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter

Proposed 'granny flat' legislation could help address housing demand in North Canterbury, but officials want safeguards against flooding and liquefaction risks.

The Hurunui District Council has questioned whether small homes are practical in the windy region, while the Waimakariri District Council says the policy appears to be consistent with its proposed District Plan.

The Government is seeking feedback on a proposal to force councils to allow buildings of up to 60m2 in certain areas, without requiring a consent.

The proposal was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Housing Minister Chris Bishop last week.

It will amend the Building Act and the resource consent system to make it easier to build granny flats or other small structures up to 60m2, provided they met the building code.

Hurunui District Council building and property manager Kerry Walsh said given the majority of the district is above the high wind zone, the maximum allowed in the proposal, ‘‘granny flats’’ may not even be permitted.

The Hurunui District includes the growing town of Amberley and tourist hotspot, Hanmer Springs.

If granny flats were allowed, he said it could "double the number of houses connected to the council’s systems".

The council needed to consider a number of questions when offering feedback including: will there be enough checks and balances, and will local infrastructure have sufficient capacity to support the proposal.

Waimakariri District Council planning, regulation and environment general manager Kelly LaValley said the proposal has the potential to address housing demand in the area, which includes Rangiora.

‘‘It aligns with our District Plan that allows granny flats to be established without a resource consent, provided conditions are met.

‘‘It is also good to see that the proposal considers impacts to stormwater, servicing, and infrastructure funding.’’

But there needed to be safeguards included to mitigate the risks from liquefaction and flooding.

There will need to be a clearly defined method of determining if the granny flats comply with the Building Code.

The Kaikōura District Council has also been contacted for comment.
Consultation is open until August 12, with final policy decisions to be made later in 2024. They are expected to be in place by mid-2025.

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.