A group of Wakefield residents are pushing for Tasman District Council to factor in the need for smaller homes in future housing development plans. A survey they carried out shows people want smaller properties built for the ageing community.
“People want to downsize when they get to a certain age,” says Tony Aldridge, committee member for Homes for Wakefield. “They want to move to a one- or two-bedroom home, but there just isn’t anything for them and nothing is planned either.”
Homes for Wakefield presented their results to TDC, giving an insight on how the community would like their village developed in the future.
“We did a leaflet drop to houses in Wakefield,” says Tony. “People want smaller homes, yet Wakefield housing developments have few, if any.”
The council’s 2018 Wakefield Settlement Area Report states the proportion of over 65-year-olds will double in the next 20 years. The group hope that by showing the council what the community wants, then maybe future developments can be changed. “The people who live in Wakefield want to stay here in their retirement years,” says Tony. “They don’t want to move away, so we need better options. There has to be savings to the council and developers in having more dwellings in one fixed area,” say Tony. “Fewer footpaths and less pipe infrastructure for starters. We need to make sure our voice is heard. Our survey showed a deep sense of community in the village.”
Going forward, the group would like the council, developers and community to communicate with each other before any house development gets the go-ahead. “We encourage the council to reach out and engage with us,” says Tony.
To find out how support the group, email homesforwakefield@gmail.com.