We are now in the middle of the Annual Plan season for the 2026/27 financial year. Across the South Island, many councils are currently consulting on their draft annual plans. Last Friday, we lodged three submissions in a single day.
We shared our thoughts with Queenstown Lakes District Council, Dunedin City Council and Selwyn District Council. Here’s a snapshot of what we said:
Queenstown Lakes District Council
The Draft Annual Plan proposes significant rates increases, an average of 11.7%. We drew attention to the load this would add to a sector already facing rising operating costs. We would like to see Queenstown Lakes District Council focus on strong and prudent financial management to mitigate the scale of rates increases.
Dunedin City Council
The Draft Annual Plan proposes average rates increase of 10.5%, continuation of business differentials (a factor of 2.5 above residential rates), and increases to resource and building consenting fees. All of these, along with other cost pressures, would affect the feasibility of projects in Dunedin. Property Council stressed the need for improved transparency in setting rates and fees, and taking steps to ensure funds are apportioned fairly, especially when it comes to repaying debt on Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Selwyn District Council
Out of three options for proposed rates increases (4.9%, 5.4% or 6.5%), Property Council supported an increase of 5.4%. This would enable Selwyn District Council to maintain current levels of service. The Draft Annual Plan proposes a 25% increase for building consent applications. Property Council supports user-pays approaches, but no other cost-savings proposals in the Draft Annual Plan will affect in the way that this one will hit developers.
We’d like to take this opportunity to thank our South Island Regional Committee. Their valuable insights have shaped Property Council’s feedback to the local authorities on how their proposals could impact the property industry in their towns and cities.
Remember to keep an eye out for further updates from us on Annual Plan activity around the country.
Author | Samantha Lay Yee
Samantha brings a sharp policy mind and deep understanding of urban development to her role as Senior Advocacy Advisor. With a Master of Laws specialising in environmental law, she has built her career at the intersection of government, regulation and city-shaping policy.
Prior to joining Property Council, Samantha held a senior advisory role at Kāinga Ora where she led a complex investment management work programme. She also brings policy experience from the Ministry for the Environment and the Department of Internal Affairs. In those roles, she developed regulatory advice for Ministers and contributed to nationally significant urban development reforms. Her experience spans cross-agency collaboration, stakeholder engagement and translating complex policy into clear, actionable insights.
Analytical, thoughtful and highly respected, Samantha combines strategic thinking with a practical approach – helping shape policy settings that enable better outcomes for New Zealand’s built environment.
