Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 results.

The Government has signed a development agreement for the construction of 237 homes as part of its affordable housing project on an 11.5-hectare Crown-owned site in Christchurch, Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today.

  • Nick Smith
  • Building and Housing

Christchurch City’s reinstatement by International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) as a Building Consent Authority (BCA) is a significant step in rebuilding confidence in the Council and progressing reconstruction of the city, Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith said today.

  • Nick Smith
  • Building and Housing

The Government is to consider capping Building Consent Authority liability in negligence cases for building failure following the Law Commission’s review into how liability is distributed among multiple defendants who are found to have caused the same damage.

  • Nick Smith
  • Building and Housing

Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith today welcomed the signing of a contract between the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and information technology company Unisys to build a new system that will enable landlords to lodge tenancy bonds online.

  • Nick Smith
  • Building and Housing

Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith and Revenue Minister Todd McClay today welcomed the next important step in the Government’s HomeStart package for first home buyers with the first reading of the Taxation (KiwiSaver HomeStart and Remedial Matters) Bill.

  • Todd McClay
  • Nick Smith
  • Revenue
  • Building and Housing

Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith today welcomed the latest release of figures from Statistics New Zealand which shows the highest number of building consents issued in more than six years.

“There were 24,307 consents issued nationwide in the year to October 2014 – an increase of 21 per cent on the same period last year, and more than any other 12-month period since the year to May 2008,” Dr Smith says.

  • Nick Smith
  • Building and Housing

Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith and Auckland Mayor Len Brown have today welcomed the release of the first year report of the Auckland Housing Accord.

“It is good progress that 11,060 new sections and dwellings have been achieved in the first year – more than 20 per cent above the target of 9000. We will need to maintain this momentum and growth to meet the targets of 13,000 in year two and 17,000 in year three,” Dr Smith says.

  • Nick Smith
  • Building and Housing

Changes to the delivery of key tenancy services are set to streamline and speed up processes for landlords and tenants, Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today.

“A new FastTrack Resolution service will be available from today to all landlords and tenants to help resolve rent arrears disputes in a faster and more efficient way. A new online system for Tenancy Tribunal applications is also up and running from today, which will reduce processing times significantly,” Dr Smith says.

  • Nick Smith
  • Building and Housing

Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith today welcomed the latest figures from Statistics New Zealand that show strong annual growth in the number of building consents.

"There were 24,046 building consents issued across the country in the year to September 2014. This is a six-year high, and reflects an increase of 22 per cent on the same period last year," Dr Smith says.

"The rate of building consents in Auckland, meanwhile, are at an eight-year high, with 7320 consents issued in the year to September 2014 - 30 per cent more than the previous year.

  • Nick Smith
  • Building and Housing

Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith today welcomed the findings of the second National Construction Pipeline report, which confirms building and construction activity in New Zealand is expected to reach unprecedented levels by 2017.

  • Nick Smith
  • Building and Housing

A Queenstown Lakes Housing Accord has been signed between Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith and Mayor Vanessa van Uden to provide an additional 1300 homes over the next three years.

“The Queenstown Lakes District is one of the five least affordable housing areas in New Zealand, with a median house price of $664,000. The Accord agreed today aims to deliver a 20 per cent increase on the number of houses that have been built in the area in the past, and accordingly it will improve both supply and affordability in the region,” Dr Smith says.

  • Nick Smith
  • Building and Housing

Fletcher Residential has been chosen as the Government’s private sector partner for a new affordable housing project on an 11.5-hectare Crown-owned site in Christchurch, Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today.

  • Nick Smith
  • Building and Housing

The Resource Management Act needs to explicitly recognise the importance of New Zealanders’ access to more affordable housing if the downward trend in home ownership over the past 20 years is to be reversed, Building and Housing, and Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith said today at the Property Council New Zealand’s Residential Development Summit in Auckland.

  • Nick Smith
  • Environment
  • Building and Housing