Development in Richmond South has reached a significant milestone with the acceptance of a partnership between developers and the Tasman District Council to provide water for the residential development.
In lifting the current zoning deferral, Tasman Mayor Richard Kempthorne praised local developers and council staff for identifying and working through a solution that meets the needs of everyone involved.
Earmarked some time ago for the next residential development the area south of Bateup and Hart roads in Richmond was deferred due to the inability to provide a secure supply of water.
Since last year, council engineers and developers have been working through a solution suggested by the developers that uses current resources at off-peak times to provide for a development of 250 houses initially and potentially up to 500 homes within 10 years.
A large tank will be installed at the highest point in the development to store off-peak water from the current reticulation from which the needs of the development will be met.
“The design will provide a solution to the issue faced by the council and developers of meeting the demand for houses and servicing them from a limited water supply network,” Richard says. “Longer term growth in and around Richmond will be stymied unless a new or enhanced source of water is identified”.
Council will contribute to the infrastructure needed for the solution to meet the continuing demand for residential land. In future years, this subdivision will be connected to other reservoirs in the Richmond foothills that in turn will be fed by the new Richmond water treatment plant in lower Queen Street allowing for this temporary solution to be dismantled.
In investing $250,000, council has provided a conservative means of meeting our housing accord obligations by moving forward this much needed development.
