Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Builder wants developers to donate land

Updated at 9:10 pm on 8 May 2012

The owner of a Christchurch construction company is calling for a law change to force property developers working in the earthquake-hit city to donate a small percentage of their land for affordable housing.

Falcon Construction director David Reid says there is not enough affordable land in Christchurch to meet the demands of residents displaced from the red zone.

Mr Reid says $314,000 is the average payout from the red zone and a percentage of that will be in mortgage for a lot of those people.

"What are their options? There's very little second-hand stock on the market and even the prices are flying high."

Mr Reid says the Queenstown Lakes District Council added a similar policy to its district plan in 2007 and Christchurch should do the same.

The Queenstown Lakes District Community Housing Trust says developers are required to gift a small percentage of re-zoned rural land, which can be sold at a discounted price to those who need it.

Mr Reid wants the Christchurch City Council and Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority to consider the policy.

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