Pauanui plan too high for some

The community board in the Coromandel beach town is proposing changes to the district plan that would allow buildings up to 16.5m, or three to four storeys, in areas zoned for extra density development.

The issue was aired at a public meeting yesterday, when more than 100 people packed the local fire brigade hall to hear a presentation of the community board's "Vision Pauanui" draft plan for next year. They heard that pressure on land at Pauanui is growing and development is likely to happen fast once a building moratorium is lifted in 2007.

The latest projections show that by 2026, the town will have 3671 houses - a 91 per cent increase from 2001.

A questionnaire conducted last year showed that 73 per cent of ratepayers favoured conventional housing (one dwelling per 600-700sq m) as the most appropriate form of development for Pauanui. Only 13 per cent supported in-fill development, such as townhouses, units and apartments.

The questionnaire results were taken into account by a group of 11 property owners tasked with drawing up the "Vision Pauanui" plan.

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