Council hits pause button on Upper Selwyn Huts decision
Selwyn District Council media release: 29th July 2024
The Selwyn District Council has paused its previously approved process for the Upper Selwyn Huts to allow a consultation period to develop a proposal for future licencing arrangements for this community.
The Council decided in March 2024 to issue a licence deed for five years from 1st October 2024, with the conditional opportunity to renew it for two further five-year periods, up to a maximum of 15 years.
However, after further discussions with the community, the Council has agreed to extend the existing deed of licence until 1st July 2025, to allow time to work with the community further on the longer-term plan for the closure of the huts site and how to support the community through these changes.
“We understand and appreciate the emotional and financial impact of these decisions on the residents of the Upper Selwyn Huts community, so we have decided to ensure everyone has more time to work through the proposed changes and determine how we can best support the community sensitively and respectfully,” says Deputy Mayor Malcolm Lyall.
“These huts were never intended to be permanent homes and their close proximity to each other creates potential safety hazards for the community, as well as compliance breaches that can no longer be ignored,” he says - noting that the increased risk of severe weather events is another significant challenge facing this community.
He explains that the consultation period will also be used to engage with the community to determine a building inspections process to assess if any structures pose safety risks or breach other relevant legislation, to help keep residents safe in their community.
The Upper Selwyn Huts residents turned out in numbers to support their submissions to the council, asking for stronger consultation and voicing their concern around the proposed building inspections.
The Council acknowledged their concerns and signalled its commitment to a collaborative approach by amending the proposal to allow community feedback around the scope of the inspections.