Buy-out of private properties affected by slips Debate

Community Wellbeing - Lifestyle & Enjoyment

Option 3

The comment emphasizes the importance of considering the future use of the land acquired through the buy-out, suggesting potential uses such as recreational reserves or community gardens, which would contribute to community wellbeing and lifestyle enhancement. It highlights the need for fairness in supporting property owners compared to other vulnerable groups, advocating for a balanced approach in community support. Additionally, the comment questions the valuation of properties deemed unsuitable for living, suggesting that the market value might be overstated given the risks and insurance challenges associated with the land.

Table of comments:

Point No

Comment

56.2

The future use of the land needs to be considered as part of this decision. It could be held as recreational reserve with stabilisation works, or it could become productive public land as community gardens. Either way will require demolition and cleanup – neither of which is discussed in the four options.While it is important to support individuals in crisis, and to prevent people from falling into crisis, it needs to be remembered that landowners are already far ahead in that they own land at all: support for them should be fair alongside e.g. support for the disabled who own nothing and are not able to work. As the prime minister's view is that a person unable to work should work ten hours per week, Council must be prepared to receive and implement a similar requirement for landowners unable to live in their current houses. It has never been unknown to current landowners that much of Nelson sits on steep hillsides and a floodplain, and that the soils here are quite challenging.It should also be recognised that "the market value of their home" is surely not very high when the land is deemed unsuitable to live upon, or for which insurance is unavailable or available only at extremely high cost. We need a more forthright choice of words in these options that tells homeowners more frankly and accurately what they can anticipate.