There was a great headline this week: "Nine level apartment rejected". The bureaucratic quagmire of government shuts down developments while news stories abound of people living in cars; some columns write themselves.
Still. Out of fairness and a desire by the editor for a photo-op I drove out to the site and chatted to a friendly chap by the name of David Ealson. We took his picture so you can have a look for yourself at the man responsible for exacerbating the housing crisis. Demonic. I am sure you will agree.
The housing affordability crisis is created by land use restrictions, oppressive building regulations and people like Ealson using the Council to stonewall developments. We are a country the size of Japan with a population smaller than Singapore. Our houses should be cheaper than three-day-old fish.
Todd Property wanted to build a nine story apartment complex on land they own in Stonefields, the old quarry near Mt Wellington. The locals, an impressive three hundred and fifty of them, objected.
Ealson was annoyed that the building would block his summer sun. Others were worried about the effects on a Heritage Trail and some grizzled they would be unable to admire the stone escarpment that the new building would block.
It's all petty compared to ninety families having somewhere to live yet the Council rejected Todd's application. The idea that one person cannot build something because it might cash a shadow over their neighbour's property is absurd; although as Ealson pointed out that is part of the Council rules and I may be the only person who holds that view.
But. Here is the thing. The locals might have a legitimate issue. When the development was being put together Todd put out a master plan that had nothing over six levels. Todd claims this was only a guideline, a 'living document'. The locals claim that this plan influenced their decision to buy.
If existing homeowners had purchased properties relying on Todd's master plan they might have a legal claim against Todd and could go to court to try and prevent the nine story building.
It does muddy the waters of what, at first flush, seemed a perfect case of government incompetence forcing more people to live in cars.
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