Changes to the rules under which developers operate in Tauranga are going to push up house prices, says Kevin Hill from developers Grasshopper Farms Ltd.

Tauranga City Council staff want changes made to the rules governing the construction of subdivisions and has detailed new rules for roading, and installation of services such as sewerage and storm water, and the material that may be used.

The proposals will add to the cost of housing in Tauranga, without giving any clear benefit, says Kevin.

'That is the problem we are trying to fix,” says Kevin.

'If the council is serious about affordability in Tauranga, we collectively need to be doing everything possible not to further impact on housing affordability.”

Cost increasing measures include a proposal to add before and after safety audits of all access ways, right of ways, cul-de-sacs, local roads and collector roads built by subdivision developers.

The audits would have to be carried out by a third party.

'We cannot understand why these audits are required when subdivision roads are all designed by professionals to the code of practice and to all relevant roading standards,” says Kevin.

'The designs are then approved by council staff who we understand have the necessary audit training.”

A pre and post construction safety audit on a 14 lot cul-de-sac will cost $7550 plus GST, and add $620 to each lot, without design changes or remedial work.

Titles can also be held up if there are issues picked up in the post construction safety, which council staff have told Steve can happen inspite of work being carried out to approved plans and designs.

Sewer and storm water pipe laying will increase in costs by 15-25 per cent if sewer connection deeper than 2.5m are required to be concreted and all new sewer and storm water pipes have to be CCTV surveyed.

The council is also requiring the concrete compressive strength be 20Mpa instead of the current national standard of 17.5Mpa. It will make concrete more expensive.

The council staff also want data at present provided electronically included on as-built plans, and a change to the testing regime and methodology used on new roads.

The council received the report and said the issue will be debated at the council meeting on March 21.