Kia Ora,

Thank you for your email.

We are handling your request under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA). We have forwarded it to the appropriate Christchurch City Council staff, and we will provide a response or update within 20 working days of the date we received your request. If we are unable to respond to your request by then, we will notify you of an extension of that timeframe.

If you have any queries, please feel free to contact me. If any additional factors come to light which are relevant to your request, please do not hesitate to contact me so that these can be taken into account.

If you have not had a reply within 10 working days please email us at [Christchurch City Council request email]

Kind regards,

Sean Rainey
Manager Official Information

-----Original Message-----
From: David Palmer <[FYI request #29006 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, November 5, 2024 9:19 AM
To: Official Information <[email address]>
Subject: Re: Official Information request - Grassmere Development developer contributions and central government funding

[You don't often get email from [FYI request #29006 email]. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific... ]

Dear Christchurch City Council,

Could you please confirm receipt of this request?

Yours faithfully,

David Palmer

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Dear David,

 

I refer to your request below.

 

We have responded to your questions below.

 

You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of
this decision. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
[1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.

 

Kind regards,

 

Sean

 

 

Sean Rainey
Manager Official Information and Privacy Officer
Official Information Team

Te Ratonga Ture me te Manapori - Legal & Democratic Services

Christchurch City Council

 

 

-----Original Message-----

From: David Palmer <[2][FOI #29006 email]>

Sent: Friday, November 1, 2024 11:38 AM

To: Official Information <[3][email address]>

Subject: Official Information request - Grassmere Development developer
contributions and central government funding

 

[You don't often get email from
[4][FOI #29006 email]. Learn why this is
important at [5]https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific... ]

 

Dear Christchurch City Council,

 

At a recent council information briefing, a member of staff discussed
Developer Contributions for the Grassmere subdivision in Papanui that is
moving through under central government "Fast-Track" legislation. A video
of the council session can be seen here:
[6]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

 

Staff stated at timecode 18:24 that the Grassmere development will attract
a dedicated DC overlay increasing the DC charge by $41,812 per HUE on top
of the normal charge, for a total of $71,536 per HUE.

 

At timecode 21:45, the Mayor asks a followup question, the transcript of
which is below:

 

Mayor: "On that one with Grassmere that you said, didn't we get given
thirty odd million from the government for fast track stuff?"

Staff: "Yes, yes."

Mayor: "So why are we charging more if we got given money?"

Staff: "So I understand this is infrastructure we are required to put in,
in addition to the funding that we have received."

 

My questions are:

1. Was the Mayor here referring to the Better Off support funding
programme?

 

He was referring to the Infrastructure Acceleration Fund (IAF).

[7]https://www.hud.govt.nz/our-work/infrast....

 

2. Does the mayor believe that the Better Off support funding programme is
intended to support projects under the Fast Track legislation scheme? If
so, how did he come to this belief? Please provide any communication,
documents or advice to/from the Mayor regarding the Better Off support
funding programme.

 

The IAF predates the proposed fast track consenting process. The link
above sets out the purpose of the funding.   The Grassmere development is
proposed to be accepted into Schedule 2 of the Fast Track consenting
legislation, although some aspects of the development have already been
accepted.  

 

3. If this is not the Better Off support funding, please provide details
of the "30 odd million" in central government funding that the Mayor is
referring to here. Please also provide any communication, documents or
advice about this funding or what it is intended to be used for.

 

See above.

 

4. Is the Council using this funding to offset the cost impacts of Fast
Track schemes on City Council infrastructure? Please also provide any
communication between the council and central government discussing the
purposes for which the funding can be used. Specifically, anything
mentioning the "Fast track" legislation or projects, or the Grassmere
project.

 

No, please see above comments.

 

5. How did council determine that the funding should be used for
infrastructure growth related to Fast Track projects? Please provide any
communication or advice about growth funding for infrastructure
improvements specifically where it relates to the proposed Grassmere
development.

 

The IAF is awarded by the Government. Grassmere applied for the funding
and that funding is provided to Council for a number of infrastructure
projects to enable housing in the area.

 

6. Has the council lodged any project applications with Te Tari Taiwhenua
Department of Internal Affairs for projects in the Papanui area under the
Better Off support funding scheme? Is the Grassmere project mentioned in
any past, current or future applications to the scheme? Please provide
copies of, and communication relating to, any applications made under this
scheme for the Grassmere development.

 

No

 

7. How did council determine that the Grassmere-specific DC overlay should
be set at $41,812? Did the council consider increasing the DC charge
higher than this? Please provide any communication, documents or advice
about how this number was decided upon.

 

It was based on the cost of specific infrastructure that was required for
Grasmere divided by projected number of households. This was part of an
initial briefing to Council.  Since then, it is now proposed that the
Grasmere Overlay not be part of the draft policy.   

 

8. In the briefing, the staff member suggested that the $41,812 was for
additional work on top of what was being "funded by the government". If
government funding was not being used, what would the cost of Grassmere DC
overlay increase to? Please provide any communication, documents or advice
about how this number was decided upon.

 

The Council did not run these calculations, and also note that the overlay
is not proposed to be progressed.

 

9. Exactly what amount of the "30 odd million" dollars in funding is
proposed to be spent on projects to support the Grassmere development?

 

All of the IAF funding is to be spent in the Grasmere area, noting that
some of the infrastructure will serve a larger catchment.

 

10. What infrastructure or flood mitigation improvements are required as a
result of the Grassmere subdivison going ahead? Please provide a list of
work identified, as well as any cost estimates for these, as well what
percentage of those costs is or is planned to be met by developer
contributions, central government funding, or ratepayers.

 

See below. These are the Council infrastructure projects planned that
relate to Grasmere. There is a significant contribution relating to the
IAF and also the growth percentage is funded by development contributions.
In addition, the developer builds the roads and services for the
subdivision.   Note also that Project 1258 is programme level funding.  It
is estimated at this stage that 50% will need to go towards building a new
pump station to service Grassmere.

 

 

11. Council previously released a list of Better Off funding projects on
their website here:
[8]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo....
Have the projects changed? Is this list up to date? Which of these
projects were approved? Which of these projects have been completed?
Please provide a current list of the completed and proposed projects under
the Better Off funding scheme, including a general description and cost,
ideally similar to the web page.

 

As noted above, the Grassmere funding relates to the IAF. The website link
relates to Better off Funding and has been agreed with DIA.

 

12. Were any projects declined funding under the Better Off scheme? Which
projects were declined? Please provide any communication, documents or
advice between council and DIA about any declined projects, and why they
were declined.

 

These projects have all been approved by DIA. Grassmere is not included as
part of Better off Funding.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

David Palmer

 

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This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

 

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[9][FOI #29006 email]

 

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Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
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If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

 

 

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This electronic email and any files transmitted with it are intended
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The views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender and
may not necessarily reflect the views of the Christchurch City Council.
If you are not the correct recipient of this email please advise the
sender and delete the email.

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