Catch up on the key updates from Property Council’s advocacy team, including:
- Meet Terry and the team at The Property Conference
- New Taskforce to Engage with Auckland Council on their Unitary Plan Natural Hazards Plan Changes
- Meetings with MP’s
- Overseas Investment Act bill hearing
- The more you know: Advice released on Earthquake Ratings and Retrofit of Existing Buildings
- Recent submissions.
Meet Terry and the team at The Property Conference
The advocacy team are looking forward to welcoming you at The Property Conference next week! Make sure you come and say hi and meet our newest team member, Terry Jones, Senior Advocacy Advisor.
New Taskforce to Engage with Auckland Council on their Unitary Plan Natural Hazards Plan Changes
The Property Council recently met with Auckland Council to discuss how our members can participate in pre-engagement on their Unitary Plan Natural Hazards Plan Changes. This will assess and determine the levels of risk that are tolerable for development in relation to natural hazards (e.g. flooding and landslides).
This has implications for what developments can proceed and where, plus possible requirements for hazard mitigation measures etc. To ensure the Council understands our members’ perspectives, we urge you to get involved by joining our Auckland Unitary Plan Natural Hazards Plan Changes Taskforce.
A meeting with the Taskforce and council will be organised for September 2024. There may be subsequent meetings (to be confirmed).
If you (or anyone in your organisation) are interested in joining this Taskforce, or have any questions, please contact Terry Jones – Senior Advocacy Advisor.
Meetings with MP’s
This week, Property Council met with National Party MP Nancy Lu, and New Zealand First MP Jamie Arbuckle. We focused on Property Council, the challenges the industry face, and a range of solutions.
Property Council welcomed Labour MPs Shanan Halbert and Glen Bennett at our Auckland Regional Committee meeting to discuss Auckland-based issues.
We also hosted Hon Simeon Brown, Minister for Transport, Energy, Local Government, Auckland, and Deputy Leader of the House at our Advisory Group meeting held at Russell McVeagh yesterday, where members could ask questions and discuss issues currently facing our sector.
Overseas Investment Act bill hearing
Denise Lee (PCNZ) and Paula Ormandy (Buddle Findlay) appeared before the Finance & Expenditure Select Committee regarding the Overseas Investment Act bill which streamlines pathways for international institutional investment in Build to Rent. We’re delighted to have the bill making its way through Parliament – something we have long been advocating for.
The more you know: Advice released on Earthquake Ratings and Retrofit of Existing Buildings
Earlier this year, Standards New Zealand released a public consultation on a new Technical Standard TS 1170.5 for determining earthquake actions for new building design. It is expected that the Technical Standard 1170.5 will be published later in 2024. In anticipation of its release, New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering have developed further specific advice regarding:
- The assessment of existing buildings following the final publication of TS 1170.5 (publication date to be determined).
- The design of seismic retrofit work in this context.
This advice has been developed to help clarify the earthquake rating system for existing buildings, and the design of seismic retrofit work, following the release of TS 1170.5.
To read further, please click here.
Recent submissions
Submission on Queenstown Lakes District Council Long Term Plan 2024-34
Submission on Overseas Investment (Build-to-Rent and Similar Rental Developments) Amendment Bill
Submission to MBIE on removing barriers to using overseas building products
Submission on Draft Auckland Regional Transport Plan 2024-2034