A semi-retired builder has offered the Cromwell Community Board an affordable housing solution, provided they can release sections in the Gair Ave development for $250,000.

Gavin Hurring spoke in the public forum on Tuesday, saying he could build 100sqm houses for $650,000 in the subdivision.

He estimated he could build 12 houses a year on 300sqm sections, which could be offered as complete house and land packages.

The Central Otago District Council currently owns 5.25ha of undeveloped land in the subdivision, and was still working through options on how that should be progressed.

In August 2022 the community board agreed to achieve more affordable options through different housing typologies, which included semi-detached and terraced housing on smaller building footprints, consistent with the Cromwell Masterplan objectives.

A 320sqm section in the Gair Ave development currently had a rateable value of $390,000.

Gavin said he just wanted to give back to the community and wouldn’t gain a lot out of it financially.

“There is very little in it for me.”

Board chair Anna Harrison questioned what would stop families from on-selling the houses to make a profit, “which takes it out of the affordable housing market right away.”

Gavin proposed that the owners must stay in the house for an agreed period - whether that was three or five years.

But, board members said there would have to be an allowance made for people’s change of circumstances.

Anna said there had been a lot of talk around housing in the Gair Ave development and the types of housing that could be built in there - aiming to increase the number of houses on the market.

The need for housing has been an ongoing issue, covered by The Central App over recent weeks.

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