Agenda of City Development Committee

17 16 July 2019

City Development Committee

28 June 2019

File: (19/854)

Report no: CDC2019/3/143

Hutt Cricket Academy Lease Request - Hutt Recreation Ground

Purpose of Report

1. This report seeks approval to vary an existing lease between Hutt City Council and the Hutt Cricket Academy for a part of Hutt Recreation Ground, which will enable the Hutt Cricket Academy to construct a new facility.

Recommendations

That the Committee recommends that Council:

(i) notes the request by the Hutt Cricket Academy to vary the lease for a part of the Hutt Recreation Ground;

(ii) notes that discussions between officers and the resident sports clubs at the park, have been unsuccessful in agreeing on a joint facility proposal, and that the Hutt Cricket Academy (jointly with the Hutt District Cricket Club) wishes to proceed with a proposal to construct a purpose built facility;

(iii) notes that the proposal satisfies the Reserve Management Plan policies but is not aligned with the Integrated Community Facilities Plan, in the sense that two of the four clubs are not in favour of the proposal;

(iv) notes that the proposal is not seeking any financial support or contribution from Council, and the proposed lease area has no impact on the Park; and

(v) agrees to vary the existing lease between the Hutt Cricket Academy and Council to accommodate the proposal to construct a new pavilion, subject to the following key conditions:

(a) formal approval by the Divisional Manager Parks and Recreation and local ward Councillors of a final design concept;

(b) formal support and a working agreement with key stakeholders including Hutt Old Boys Marist Rugby Football Club and Council’s City Promotions team regarding the future use of the proposed extension and wider grandstand facility;

(d) formal approval of asset ownership.

For the reasons that the request: does not require Council financial commitment; does not significantly affect other clubs or users of the park; assists with the delivery of cricket; and provides an improved asset for the community.

Background

2. The Hutt Cricket Academy (HCA) was established in 2013 with its purpose generally, to foster, support and develop cricket talent in the Hutt Valley district and wider Wellington region.

3. HCA has been operating from the indoor facility inside the Hutt Recreation Ground (Hutt Rec) grandstand since 2013 after successfully negotiating a sub-lease arrangement with Cricket Wellington, the original operators of the indoor facility. Following a facilities review, Cricket Wellington decided in and around 2016/17 to focus its indoor facility operations in Wellington city and decided to support HCA’s application to Council for a lease of the first floor space inside the grandstand.

4. Cricket Wellington despite not seeking a renewal itself, also wanted to ensure it maintained a level of strategic relevance in the operation of the Hutt Rec indoor facility. In response, HCA and Council agreed both organisations will keep Cricket Wellington informed of progress and operations and included a reporting clause in the new lease. This new lease has been executed.

5. HCA has invested in excess of $200,000 in upgrading the indoor training facility since 2015. The upgrade has included replacement of the artificial turf, upgrading of lighting, installation of new practice nets, security system, an internet based booking system, and the introduction of a state of the art automatic bowling machine, speed ball radar equipment, and technology that allows players to video capture and real time review, for example, their batting technique.

6. In 2018, the HCA with support of the Hutt District Cricket Club (HDCC) approached Council with a proposal to create a new club facility on the north side of the Hutt Recreation Ground grandstand. The new facility will house the HCA and HDCC, allowing the existing HDCC building to be removed or demolished, and this space to be used for additional car parking. The proposed facility would also be available for use by other groups for hire.

7. Officers supported the proposal in principle, and advised HCA and HDCC that full support from Council would be significantly enhanced through a united approach and agreement of all of the key users including Rugby. HCA proceeded to prepare design plans (see Appendix 1).

8. The HCA is now asking for a lease of the land under which the proposed facility can be built. The HCA has submitted that it is not seeking any funding from Council for this proposal, but will be pursuing other third party funding for part of the construction costs and proposes a 24-month maximum fundraising timeframe.

Discussion

9. In 2013, officers convened a working group involving resident clubs, Hutt Old Boys Marist Rugby (HOBM), Hutt Districts Cricket (HDCC), Lower Hutt Amateur Athletics (LHAAC), and the addition of the Hutt Bowling Clubs, to discuss and determine whether there was interest in adopting the Sportsville model at Hutt Rec. The group was successful in obtaining $1.4m from Council to construct a ¾ sized artificial surface and undertake other improvements at the park.

10. All clubs were supportive of the concept for a number of years although, in recent times with a change in club committees and strategic direction, the HDCC is now of the view that it wishes to pursue a different path by lending its support to the proposal submitted to Council by the HCA.

11. A number of meetings have been held between Council officers, HOBM, HDCC and the HCA to see if a joint proposal can be agreed to. The HCA has submitted that it does not want to proceed with a joint venture sports hub with HOBM and Lower Hutt Amateur Athletics but instead, focus on delivering its proposal in partnership with the HDCC for its members and wider community.

12. The HCA proposal involves the construction of a two storey pavilion style facility constructed on the northern side of the grandstand. This new space at the ground floor measures 66m² (more or less) and in no way impacts on the function of the stand or the park itself. The construction will address a leaking issue on a part of the grandstand that Council is looking to repair.

13. As a part of the proposal, the HDCC will relinquish its lease for the Park land under which its club building is located. This will allow the building to be demolished and this area of the Park to be freed up and better used, for example, for car parking, which is at a premium when the park is used. It is HDCC responsibility to demolish or remove its club building. This is a condition of the lease.

14. The HCA has been clear from the start that it wishes to rapidly progress its proposal to construct its facility and the approval to vary the existing lease will assist with its funding strategy. The Association has set itself a time limit of 24-months to organise funding.

Hutt Cricket Academy

15. As noted, the HCA was established in 2013 primarily to support and develop cricket in the wider Wellington region but also provide an indoor facility for the wider community. The facility is used 90% of the available time during peak hours (evenings), and 70% during off-peak hours (day). The HCA operates a commercial model and charges users of its facility but it also recognises the importance of making sure its facilities are accessible to juniors. In this regard, HCA offers holiday programmes to identified youth free of charge.

16. The indoor facility is used by players of all ages and from all different clubs in the wider region. In 2017, the HCA hosted a team that competes in the Karnataka Premier League (KPL) competition. The KPL is a second tier professional cricket competition and is modelled on the successful Indian Premier League (IPL). The IPL is the premier world 20/20 cricket competition where selected elite international players participate in. The HCA maintains a close relationship with the teams in the KPL competition.

17. The HCA should be commended for the excellent work they have done for cricket and players of all ages.

Site Description and Impact of Lease

18. Hutt Rec is one of Council’s premier sports parks. It is a “sport precinct” with Huia Pool on the northern boundary, while the ¾ artificial is located on the eastern fringe. It measures approximately 6.1 ha and is land is vested in Council as a recreation reserve under the Reserves Act 1977. The Park has an activity zoning of General Recreation under the District Plan. A site plan of the proposed lease area (*outlined in red) is attached as Appendix 2 to the report.

19. There are currently four buildings on the park including the grandstand which account for 3% (or 1,900m²) of the total park area occupied by buildings. The proposed lease will decrease the overall area occupied by buildings down to 1,550m2 or 2.5%.

20. The variation of the existing lease to the HCA will have no impact on the public’s use of the balance of the Park. If anything, it will consolidate the specific sporting functions into a single purpose built facility while also freeing up reserve land.

Options

21. The Committee can recommend to Council to:

a. Approve the request - This approach is consistent with the policies within the Sportsgrounds Reserves Management Plan. Under the sportsville concept it is preferable that all resident clubs are a part of the proposal particularly where funding is sought from Council. This proposal is self-funding, is a joint venture between two of the four resident clubs, and approving the lease has no risk to Council, either financially or operationally. It is self-funding with limitations on funding time-frames.

b. Decline the request in part - This approach can be considered in the context of initiating further engagement and consultation with all clubs to see if a combined proposal can be agreed to. HCA and HDCC have made it clear that they do not want to entertain any further discussions in this regard. If this was option was employed, the proposing clubs, HCA and HDCC, will not pursue the lease and develop its current club building.

c. Decline the request – as noted above, the proposing clubs have indicated that they will upgrade its current club building.

22. On balance Officers support option a. the approval of a lease variation for the additional area of land, subject to the agreed conditions.

Consultation

23. A number of meetings have been held between Council officers HCA, Hutt District Cricket Club and Hutt Old Boys Marist Rugby Club (HOBM). A copy of this report has been provided to the clubs.

Legal Considerations

24. Council is guided by the requirements of the Reserves Act 1977. The proposal and process satisfies the statutory provisions.

25. A variation to the existing generic reserves lease will be undertaken to accommodate the proposed new lease area.

Financial Considerations

26. The HCA proposal is self-funding. The HCA is not seeking any funding from Council for its development proposal. The proposal is self-funding, with a 24-month limit on fundraising timeframes.

27. To date, the HCA has spent approximately $50,000 on design plans and professional advice for its proposal.

28. HCA currently pays an annual lease rental of $10,000 + GST for the indoor area. Pursuant to Council’s Reserves Rental Formula the new annual lease rent will increase to $10,360 + GST and cover both indoor and proposed facility areas.

Other Considerations

29. HOBM prefers to adopt a different club model on the Park and made a submission (DAP18/142) to the Long Term Plan in 2018 seeking a total of $55,000 funding from Council for a part-time development manager to facilitate further work on the Sportsville concept and to undertake a feasibility study. Council did not allocate any funding. The HOBM club also submitted concept plans for the construction of a new club facility attached to the grandstand (measuring approximately 240m² over two floors) that would host all clubs on Hutt Rec. A ball park costing was suggested at $5M.

30. Regardless of any new developments HOBM have also indicated a desire for the Grandstand facility to become a more permanent clubroom. Officers support the greater use of the facility on the basis that it is able to be shared by all of the key clubs and users on the Park, as well as be available to at any time for significant Council and or other events.

31. Representatives from HOBM consider the HCA proposal will limit the future ability to build a larger Sportsville type clubrooms on the Park. Officers believe there is enough scope on the park for further development or co-sharing opportunities.

32. The proposal is not fully aligned with Council’s Long Term Integrated Facilities Plan in the sense that not all clubs are supportive of the proposal. However, the proposal requires no capital investment from Council and still delivers a facility for the community and cricket specifically.

33. The Sportsgrounds Reserves Management Plan guides the use, maintenance and development of the Park for which a lease or licence is being sought. The proposal to issue a lease to the HCA is in accord with the policies and objectives of the Plan.

34. In making this recommendation, officers have given careful consideration to the purpose of local government in section 10 of the Local Government Act 2002. Officers believe that this recommendation falls within the purpose of the local government in that it meets the future needs of the community in the provision of recreation facilities and opportunities in a cost effective way.

Appendices

No.	Title	Page
1 ⇩	Pavilion Design Plans	19
2 ⇩	Proposed Lease Area to Hutt Cricket Academy	27

Author: Aaron Marsh

Team Leader Parks

Reviewed By: Marcus Sherwood

Divisional Manager, Parks and Recreation

Approved By: Matt Reid

General Manager City and Community Services

31 16 July 2019

City Development Committee

06 March 2019

File: (19/279)

Report no: CDC2019/3/145

Proposed New Private Street Name - Subdivision of 157 Hill Road, Belmont

Purpose of Report

1. To seek approval for appropriate street names for the new private roads at 157 Hill Road, Belmont, Lower Hutt.

Recommendations

That the Committee:

(i) approves the names for the new private roads at 157 Hill Road, Belmont, Lower Hutt attached as Appendix 1 to the report, from the names suggested below:

(a) “April” suggested road type “Way” for the new private road (1);

(b) “March” suggested road type “Lane” for the new private road (2); or

(aa) “Dr Richard Sadleir” suggested road type “Way” for the new private road (1);

(bb) “Valerie Smith” suggested road type “Lane” for the new private road (2); or

(d) other names suggested by the Belmont Residents Association, attached as Appendix 2 to the report; or

e) an alternate name from the Reserved Street Name list, attached as Appendix 2 to the report; or

f) an appropriate name tabled during the meeting; and

(ii) approves the appropriate road type (as permitted by the New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 4819:2011) as shown attached as Appendix 3 to the report.

Background

2. The outcome of the development of the existing properties at 157 Hill Road, Belmont will be two new private roads containing thirteen new residential properties, gaining access off the new private roads as shown in Appendix 1 attached to this report.

3. The responsibility for naming new private roads within Lower Hutt lies with the Community Boards or, in this case, with the City Development Committee for areas of the City not represented by Community Boards.

4. The subdivision cannot proceed to completion without a legal street address.

Discussion

5. The developer has requested that Council consider the following name “April Way” for the private road (1) – representing a significant milestone for the development.

6. The developer has requested that Council consider the following name “March Lane” for the private road (2) – representing a significant milestone for the development.

7. It is customary with new private roads to place emphasis upon any names suggested by the developer.

8. “April Way” and “March Lane” conform to the New Zealand Standard for street names and have been approved for use by Greater Wellington Regional Council and Land Information New Zealand (LINZ).

9. There is no conflict with the names “April Way” and “March Lane”within the region.

Options

10. The developer submitted names “April Way” and “March Lane” meet the requirements of the New Zealand Standard and can be considered for adoption.

11. Alternatively, the Committee could select a name suggested by the Belmont Residents Association and added to the Reserved Street Names list attached as Appendix 2.

12. Other names tabled during the meeting can be considered for use but are subject to the requirements of the New Zealand Standard and must have a second recommended name, in case it is not suitable.

13. An appropriate road type must be selected (as permitted by the New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 4819:2011) attached as Appendix 3 to the report.

Consultation

14. As is normal with the naming of private roads, consultation has been limited to the developer and the community network.

15. Additional names were sought from the Belmont Residents Association, due to the developers suggested names having meaning only to the stages of the development, but have little meaning to the community or the story of the Belmont area.

a. “Hemi Topine Te Mamaku” the chief who led the attack on Boulcott Farm in 1846. He constructed a ridgetop pā site on the Pareraho trail in what is now Speedy's Reserve (between Hill Road and Kelson). He adopted the name Hemi Topine (James Stovin) later after conversion to Christianity.

b. “Ngāti Hāua-te-rangi” the iwi of chief Te Mamaku and the warriors.

c. “Rakaiwhakairi”/”Ngāti Kahukura-awhi” Early hapū of Ngāti Ira who were some of the earliest to live in this part of Heretaunga (the Hutt Valley).

d. “Dr Richard Sadleir” Dr Sadleir was a Founder of Friends of Belmont Regional Park.

e. “Valerie Smith” Ms Smith was a Founder of Friends of Belmont Regional Park.

f. “Caverhill” Caverhill owned block 9, one of the original blocks carved up by the NZ Company. Block 9 covers most of Hill Road and the pā site and a lot of Speedy's reserve. He was in the volunteers back in the 1800s as were many who settled these hills.

16. The Belmont Residents Association had a preference to the use of “Dr Richard Sadleir” and “Valerie Smith”. These suggested names would be subject to the approval of use by relatives of Dr Sadleir and Ms Smith.

17. The suggested names conform to the New Zealand Standard for street names and have been approved for use by Greater Wellington Regional Council and Land Information New Zealand (LINZ).

a. Abbreviations/variations of these names are suitable but are subject to be checked by the requirements of the New Zealand Standard and must have a second recommended name, in case it is not suitable.

b. “Mamaku” alone would conflict with Mamaku Grove, Khandallah.

18. Criteria which must be applied when selecting names.

a. Names must be in proportion to the length of the road.

b. Generally the name should be brief and easy to understand and pronounce.

c. Names should be in keeping with the general area concerned.

Legal Considerations

19. The Committee has the delegated responsibility to name the private road.

20. It is important that new streets are named early in the development stage as a variety of utility connections and other administrative bodies require individual street addresses, in order for the necessary connections to be provided.

Financial Considerations

21. There are no financial considerations. The developer is responsible for the necessary street name signs. This will be undertaken by the Council contractor with the cost paid by the developer.

Appendices

No.	Title	Page
1 ⇩	Appendix 1 Proposed New Private Street Name - Subdivision of 157 Hill Road	32
2 ⇩	Appendix 2 Reserved Street Names List	33
3 ⇩	Appendix 3 Extract of Permitted Road Types	35

Author: Zackary Moodie

Traffic Engineer - Network Operations

Approved By: John Gloag

Divisional Manager, Transport

48 16 July 2019

City Development Committee

21 June 2019

File: (19/687)

Report no: CDC2019/3/142

General Managers' Report

Purpose of Report

1. The purpose of this report is to provide the Committee with updates on a number of projects that it have previously identified. This will be done on a regular basis.

Recommendations

That the Committee notes the updates contained in the report.

Background

2. At the beginning of the 2013-2016 triennium, the Chair of the City Development Committee asked for a General Manager’s report to be provided at each meeting. This would mainly be for update purposes but from time to time could include items for decision making.

Discussion

3. An update on a number of projects is provided below. The items to be included were discussed by the City Development Committee and may change from time to time.

City Wide and CBD Remissions Policy and Funding

4. A City Wide and a CBD Remissions Policy were adopted from 1 July 2012. Council approved continuing the Development Incentives and Rates Remission schemes until 30 June 2020.

5. As of this financial year – 1 July 2018 to 31 May 2019, 109 applications have been received. Fees and rates waived and grants made are as follows:

	Rates Remissions and Economic Grants for Economic Development Purposes	Appns	Approved	Declined
	Rates remissions	0	0	0
	Economic Development grants	1	0	1
	Total	1	0	1
Fee type remitted 1 July 2018 – 31 May 2019		$ Amount
Rates remissions		$278,007.00
Economic development grants		$0
Development contributions		$520,618.00
Reserve contributions		$639,285.00
Resource consent fees		$385,910.00
Building consent fees		$850,128.00
TOTAL		$2,673,948.00

Total Fees Remitted Annually From 1 July – 30 June
FY2012-2013	$159,000
FY2013-2014	$873,000
FY2014-2015	$712,000
FY2015-2016	$548,000
FY2016-2017	$1,137,747
FY2017-2018	$2,763,817
FY2018-2019 (Year to date)	$2,673,948

6. The Policy ended on 31 December 2018.

7. The number of remission applications received between 1 July 2018 - 31 May 2019 was a total of 109. The total number of applications received over the past six months doubled the total for the whole of the 2017-2018 financial year, which had only a total of 54 applications. The applications received were mainly for new residential developments.

Promenade – RiverLink

8. The RMA Consent Application work is expected to start during mid-July 2019. Officers are currently resolving how to integrate Melling into this work.

9. Geotechnical investigations (drilling rigs) are about to start with those required by NZTA to complete the Melling draft business case. Other tests will be done for the promenade, stopbanks, and one in the river for the pedestrian bridge. Resource consent conditions require close management of risk to the aquifer and the three agencies are working together to manage public awareness for these works.

10. Laneway Project 1. RiverLink has partnered with the Wellington Company to upgrade the section of laneway adjacent to the development at 177 High Street. The lane will be closed for construction and open before Christmas 2019 to coincide with completion of the property development.

11. Officers go to the High Court in mid-August for the judicial review of Council’s intention to acquire properties under the Public Works Act.

New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) Decision – Melling Transport Improvements

NZTA Media Release and statement

12. NZTA (the Agency) have confirmed the preferred option for Melling Transport Improvements and they are currently completing the detailed business case for the preferred option, including preliminary design.

13. A decision will then be made on whether to proceed with resource consents and designations for the project, and on what basis. Agency funding for construction is not currently programmed until after 2028.

14. Following the Agency’s media release, the Chairman of the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) and the Mayor of Lower Hutt have met with the Minister for Transport, to discuss options on how the three organisations may proceed. Senior officers from the two Councils have subsequently met with officials from the Agency and have agreed to investigate various options, which it is hoped will enable the Agency to partake in the consenting process with the two Councils. The advantages of doing so were outlined in the report to the Hutt Valley Flood Management Subcommittee in April 2019.

15. A public meeting has also been held to update the community on the latest position.

16. At the time of writing the report, the RiverLink partners are still working through options.

Project Impacts – Flood Risk Management

17. The full flood security improvements and the effect that the Melling Bridge has on the level of flood protection has been outlined to the Hutt Valley Flood Management Subcommittee. The benefits of coordinating the consenting and construction phases are significant, and not capitalising on them will reduce project efficiency.

18. Ground investigation work is planned to start this month which will inform the preliminary design of the new bridge, and this will in turn inform the Agency’s detailed business case, and the predesign of the new bridge. A total of five bore holes will be drilled, two in the vicinity of the Melling Station and three in the Harvey Norman car park. Advance notice of the work, a media release and posters on site will inform the community of the work.

Making Places

19. Council’s Making Places vision for the CBD includes improved access to and from the city centre. The Agency’s position of deferring making a decision on funding any transport improvements until after 2028 creates uncertainty for investors looking to redevelop land adjacent to RiverLink.

Laneways

20. Council is proceeding with a programme to enhance the laneways in the city centre, to improve east-west connectivity.

21. Improving connectivity within the central city will contribute towards reinvigorating the city, and assist in improving the attractiveness of the area as a place to live and therefore facilitate an inner city lifestyle option.

22. The laneways which are part of the improvement programme include those connecting Andrews Avenue, Dudley Street, and Margaret Street, which can be implemented without RMA consenting. RiverLink has partnered with The Wellington Company Ltd to upgrade a small section of laneway adjacent to their residential redevelopment at 177 High Street (former BNZ Bank). It is anticipated that the improved laneway will be complete by the end of the year.

23. Enhancements are being investigated at Andrews Avenue, with the recently formed Southend Business Group.

24. The Central City Transformation Plan 2019 now supersedes Making Places 2009 as Hutt City Council’s approved long term framework to develop the central city of Lower Hutt. http://www.huttcity.govt.nz/Your-Council/Projects/central-city-transformation-plan/

Consenting

25. The Project is preparing for Detail Design and Statutory Approvals (consenting) Phase, (Phase 1) and a preferred contractor has been identified following a competitive tendering process. This contract will be signed off in the next few weeks.

Risk Assessment

26. A full assessment of all project risks including the influence of NZTA’s recent decision is being undertaken by the project team.

RiverLink Management Structure Review Outcomes

27. In late 2018 the project teams commenced a review of management and governance structure for delivery of the next phase of RiverLink. This review recommended to the Chief Executives of Hutt City Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council the establishment of:

(a) Project Management Board

The role and composition of the project management board has been outlined in the last report to the Hutt Valley Flood Management Subcommittee.

The terms of reference state that an independent chairperson will be appointed. In view of the circumstances regarding the Agency, the Project Board have decided to delay the appointment of a Chairperson. This will be reconsidered when there is clarity on the Agency’s position.

(b) Project Director

A Project Director has been appointed and he will be introduced to and attend the Committee.

A Project Manager has been appointed and will start at the end of this month.

Engagement and Communications

28. RiverLink was present at the Wellington Region Business Expo held on 7 May 2019 at the Lower Hutt Events Centre. The stand raised awareness of RiverLink and the Hutt Central City Transformation Plan with businesses within Lower Hutt.

29. RiverLink featured as a backdrop for the Hutt Valley Sports Awards which were held on 16 May 2019 at the Walter Nash Centre.

30. A newsletter is in the process of being prepared which will be available on social media.

31. Officers from the two Councils have attended a Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce function to update members on the project.

City and Community Services Group Significant Projects

32. The status of these projects is as follows:

Cycleways

33. Work on the cycleways is progressing with the Wainuiomata Hill Shared Path construction complete and the path officially opened to the community on 3 June 2019. The path has been well received by the community and is very well used.

34. The Eastern Bays shared path is a technically challenging project due to its proximity to the Coastal Marine Area. The Assessment of Environmental Effects is complete and the Resource Consent is lodged with GWRC and HCC. A request for further information has been received from GWRC and we are in the process of gathering this information which is due by the end of July. The consent will be notified following acceptance of this additional information.

35. The Resource Consents have been granted by Hutt City Council and GWRC for the Beltway and tender drawings are being finalised for both the central and northern sections.

36. There are significant pressures on the overall Cycleways budget. The Wainuiomata Hill is over budget and forecasts for the Eastern Bays and Beltway are higher than initial projections.

Healthy Families Lower Hutt

37. One of the focus areas for this period has been supporting the expansion of some of our initiatives into Upper Hutt. To support this a joint Hui with Councillors from both Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt City Councils to examine joint issues and solutions in the healthy environments area. Some of the identified areas for focus included, access to water, smokefree environments and active transport.

38. The District Health Board has funded an additional position within the Healthy Families team to support the extension of the smokefree environment work into Upper Hutt.

Indigenous Biodiversity Project

39. As a response to the Council decision not to proceed with Plan Change 46, officers have undertaken to review the biodiversity section of the Environmental Strategy.

40. An outcome of the review is to develop an action plan for improving indigenous biodiversity on both public and private land.

41. Private land owners are identified as being a key stakeholder along with other groups and organisations that have an interest in biodiversity.

42. The next step is to form a small advisory group made of representatives of the various stakeholders to help formulate and agree on the engagement process.

43. Council has agreed in principle to the introduction of an assistance package for private land owners and has included $260,000 in its Annual Plan for the next five years for this purpose.

44. One of the outcomes of the engagement is to determine how this funding will be targeted for use.

Science and Technology (STEMM) Funding and Activity

45. Te Wā Heke Update

The new Te Wā Heke website has been launched at www.tewaheke.nz. This portal makes it easier for teachers, business owners and the community to identify the various science and technology activities and resources that the Council provides.

Council stakeholders across the business continue to meet regularly to discuss collaboration on new and existing Te Wā Heke initiatives. The involvement of libraries, the Naenae Computer Clubhouse and various Council units participating in the festival is a great example of how this collaboration is improving the services we offer. The appointment of a new Science and Technology Coordinator at Wainuomata Library is an opportunity to involve hubs and libraries further in this collaboration. Science, technology and innovation can help improve the prosperity and well-being of our community by creating good jobs, business and economic growth, a more enjoyable and efficient city and equal opportunities for everyone.

46. Te Wā Heke Festival:

Te Wā Heke was held as a highlight TechWeek event on 24 and 25 May 2019. We had over 45 exhibits, ranging from VR experiences, robotics, and ‘future foods’ to city infrastructure technology, seismic sensors, and water and energy conservation activities. Total attendance was approximately 4,000 people over the two days.

Friday was “school day” with over 1,600 primary school students from 22 Lower Hutt schools (13 lower decile) attending. We provided free transport, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Teachers rated the festival on average 4.65 out of 5 (all rated it a 4 or 5) and students gave it an average rating of 4.67/5. Many of the students brought their families back on Saturday to explore further.

We also provided an educators’ event on Friday afternoon, with a guest speaker and the chance for teachers to speak with exhibitors about using their resources in the classroom.

The event was open to the general public on both Friday and Saturday, with an average rating of 4.53 out of 5. The audience was extremely engaged: 95% stayed for more than one hour and almost half stayed for two hours or more. 92% of respondents said that they would come back next year. However, as it was a significant investment, the festival will likely only be held next year if we are able to obtain substantial sponsorship.

In addition to the two day festival, we also ran a Women in Tech regional breakfast series in partnership with WellingtonNZ (232 tickets sold over the three events) and an industry networking event, with over 150 people registering to attend.

47. Innovative Young Minds (IYM):

The Silicon Valley programme took 12 of our alumnae to this global hub of innovation for a week during the April school holidays. The programme was an overwhelming success with visits to Microsoft, NVIDIA, Stanford University, Twitch, Singularity University and more. The IYM Trust hopes to repeat the programme in 2020 pending funding.

The Wellington programme will commence on 7 July 2019, with 80 girls from 58 schools attending the two, week-long sessions. We continue to support Wellington Region schools (all Lower Hutt co-ed and girls secondary schools are represented), while also promoting Lower Hutt and the region as the centre of excellence for science and technology in New Zealand.

The IYM programme is now administered by a trust and will operate as a charitable trust.

48. 1st Assembly:

With many of 1st Assembly’s businesses “growing up” and successfully launching from the incubator (and coinciding with the end of our lease at Waterloo Road), we made the decision to re-launch the start-up incubation programme at The Settlement co-working space on Jackson Street. The new programme will be a more cost-effective and sustainable model, using the existing space and administrative capacity at The Settlement. It will also provide more structured support for start-ups in the product, design, manufacturing and technology sectors.

The new programme, called “The Settlement Start-Ups”, is currently advertising for its first cohort, which will begin in August. A second cohort will be taken in February 2020. Start-ups can apply for one to two places on the programme, with 10 places available in each cohort. More information on the re-launched programme is available at https://thesettlement.co.nz/startups.

49. Smart Places Programme:

The cross-Council Smart Places team, formed late last year, continues to meet regularly and progress innovative new projects (see more at http://tewaheke.nz/smart-places/). Projects initiated this period include: 1) a trial of a city-wide seismic sensor system called EQRNet that could potentially help with emergency response and management; 2) a public online tool to collect data on how people move around Lower Hutt and how improvements could be made (https://app.maptionnaire.com/en/5993/); and 3) a new web-based app called “Smart Lower Hutt” that will provide the community with a one-stop shop for information on public services (water fountains, rubbish bins, parking etc,), events, environmental information (tides, weather etc,) and more.

50. Hutt Science Programme

Over 50 primary and intermediate schools in the Hutt Valley are currently part of the programme (part funding provided by Upper Hutt City Council). The resource centre has been expanded at Naenae Primary School to cope with this expansion of the programme. A professional development programme for primary and intermediate school teachers is now well developed along with a mentoring programme for secondary school science scholarship students.

Urban Growth Strategy Implementation

51. The Urban Growth Strategy 2012 - 2032 was adopted in 2014. Its target is 6000 new residential dwellings built by 2032 (average 300 pa) and a population of at least 110,000 by 2032.

52. Progress to date:

New Residential Dwellings completed (net after demolitions/removals) 1 July 2012 – 30 June 2018 1,658

Average per annum 276

Number of new dwellings consented (Dept. of Stats) 1 July 2012 – 30 June 2018 1,759

Average per annum 293

Value of new dwellings consented (Dept. of Stats) 1 July 2012 – 30 June 2018 $484.8M

Number of new dwellings consented (Dept. of Stats) 1 July 2018 – 30 April 2019 416

Value of new dwellings consented (Dept. of Stats) 1 July 2018 – 30 April 2019 $123.5M

Population Estimate (Dept. of Stats) 30 June 2018 105,900

Population Projection 2033 108,100

53. In the 10 months to 30 April 2019, 416 new dwellings were consented with a value of $123.5M

54. Implementation projects being worked on include:

· Wainuiomata - extension of Wise Street – One subdivision consented and houses under construction. Several other land holdings have recently changed ownership with intentions of development.

· Wainuiomata – ex Wainuiomata College site application for a mixed housing development lodged.

· Upper Kelson – extension of Major Drive – owner working on a proposed plan change to enable this site to be developed into approximately 90 lots.

· Waipounamu Drive, Kelson – Earthworks well underway. Consents for the first four stages of this development (160 of total 240 lots and houses) have been lodged.

· Stokes Valley –potentially 80 residential sections. Pre application meetings continue.

· District Plan Work Programme – Plan Change 43 further submissions closed on 7September 2018. Hearing to be held later in 2019.

· Housing New Zealand is now undertaking the build of 330 new homes and refurbishing 383 homes in the Hutt Valley.

CBD

55. Current CBD activity includes:

· 177 High Street – see below.

· Sebel Hotel development – Piling and foundations completed December 2018. Structure consent granted and structure going up.

· 2-14 Laings Road – Previously consented for 39 social housing units the developer was placed in liquidation and its share of the building (all upper floors) is currently on market for sale.

· Queensgate – construction has commenced (January 2019) on a seven screen multiplex and carpark building to replace the area that sustained structural damage and was demolished following the Kaikoura earthquake.

· Reading Pop-up cinema has opened in the Hutt Baptist Church building on High Street (ex-Hoyt’s cinema).

Southend Business Group

56. Following their presentation to the last meeting a separate paper is being brought to this meeting regarding future funding for projects.

Completed CBD activity in 2019 includes:

· Pet Vet relocated from Pharazyn Street (RiverLink property) to Rutherford Street central city;

· Red Rat skate shop open in Margaret Street;

· new bakery in Bunny Street;

· Storage Box has relocated into southern High Street;

· Premier Hair Academy opened in ex Evan’s building on High Street;

· AMI have relocated into Ex-TAB site; and

· New retail tenancies opened - Big Save/Ashley Furniture, opening the store out to High Street. My Ride bike store also opened (ex - Avanti Plus).

57. For the March 2019 year retail spending in Lower Hutt was up 6.1% on the same period last year with the CBD experiencing a 4.0% increase in spending. This compares with 4.7% growth across the Wellington Region and 4.8% across rest of NZ.

(i) Change in Spend by Business Area (Wellington Region)

Source Marketview

(ii) Change in Spend by Business Area – Lower Hutt

Source Marketview

Naenae Centre

58. Note from above that for the year to 31 March 2019 Naenae/Taita area retail spend was up 14.1% on previous period. Since the closure of the Naenae Pool (Pool) in early April we have been monitoring the retail spend in the Naenae centre on a weekly basis. From the week of the Pool closure until 29 June retail spend has declined -3.0% across the centre compared with the same period last year (based on card data from Marketview). Note individual retailers may be impacted very differently to the average.

59. A number of business clinics have been held by the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce (HVCC) with individual businesses and we will early in the new financial year be commencing a pilot programme with the HVCC to assist businesses in the centre, who want to be part of it, to move to a more sustainable business model not as reliant on foot traffic generated by the Pool. The intention is to improve the resilience of the centre so that it is in a stronger position when a Pool is reopened and better placed to take advantage of the broader business community in the area through assisting with making connections for B2B sales and developing a digital presence for the centre.

177 High Street

60. The property was sold to the Wellington Company which has now lodged plans for the development of 32 apartments (20 of which will be Kiwibuild) and ground floor retail (hospitality) outlets. Resource consent has been issued and internal demolition has commenced. Building consent has been lodged and agreement reached on redeveloping the laneway.

Petone 2040 Spatial Plan

61. Jackson Street Heritage Pilot Project; signing up one property owner has held up progress. The work will now be done during July/August 2019.

Central City Transformation Plan (CCTP)

62. The CCTP is now published on Council’s website and stories have been placed in social media, Hutt News, and the Dominion Post. The CCTP will be used as the reference document for the Urban Design Landscape Framework commissioned as part of the RiverLink RMA Consent work.

Suburban Shopping Centres Improvement Fund

63. Council reallocated 2019-2020 funding toward the activation of Hillary Court Naenae Shopping Centre. Officers are commissioning services to design a strategy and programme of events to activate the centre in the short and medium terms. Work will also be done to understand wider issues and how the structure of Naenae could be adjusted in the longer term to enable more sustainable land-use activities in and around the Naenae centre.

Options

64. There are no options. The information is for noting only.

Consultation

65. No consultation was required for this report. Consultation relevant for the specific projects outlined above have been undertaken as required.

Legal Considerations

66. There are no legal considerations.

Financial Considerations

67. There are no financial considerations. All funding discussed in this paper has been approved at previous meetings or were reported as budget implications to Council.

Summary Table

The table below provides an overall summary of the timing and status of each of the projects mentioned in this report.

Project	To be completed by 30 June 2018	Project completion date	Status
Riddiford Gardens	All Phase 3 landscape, bridges, carpark and Laings Road improvements.	November 2018	Completed
Avalon Park	All Stage 3 landscape works between the southern end car park and the new playground.	November 2018	Completed
CBD Promenade - RiverLink	Consenting and Notice of Requirement	Now mid-2020	Delayed 6 months
Fraser Park Sportsville Stage 2	Construction underway	December 2018	Completed
UGS – Upper Kelson	Revised design and cost estimates completed. District Plan team to progress Plan Change	June 2020	On track
UGS – Stokes Valley	Draft design and cost estimates to be completed. District Plan team to progress Plan Change		Possible private sector development
UGS – Wainuiomata Development Plan	Plan being finalised		Completed. Coordinator appointed April 2016

Appendices

There are no appendices for this report.

Author: Christine Chong

Development Planning Liaison Manager

Reviewed By: Matt Reid

General Manager City and Community Services

Approved By: Helen Oram

Acting General Manager, City Transformation

Cr G Barratt	Cr C Barry
Cr MJ Cousins	Cr S Edwards
Cr T Lewis	Cr M Lulich
Cr G McDonald	Cr C Milne
Cr L Sutton (Deputy Chair)	Mayor W R Wallace (ex-officio)

Description	Author	Cycle 4 2019
GMs’ Report	H Oram/ M Reid	x
Recommendations from the District Plan Subcommittee	H Oram	x
Urban Growth Strategy – Wainuiomata North Development Framework	G Craig/ C Chong	x
Jackson Street Programme 12 Month Update	G Craig	x
Technology Valley Six Month Update	L Sessions	x
Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce Six Month Update	G Craig	x
Seaview Business Association 12 Month Update	G Craig	x
Proposed New Street Name – Subdivision of 134-156 Naenae Road, Naenae	Z Moodie	x
Proposed New Street Name – Subdivision of 1041A High Street, Avalon	Z Moodie	x
Proposed New Street Name – Subdivision of 38 Manor Park Road, Lower Hutt	Z Moodie	x
Temporary Road Closure reports	Z Moodie	x

Determine and where relevant monitor:

Review and make recommendations to Council on:

General:

Conduct: