Nearly 30 submissions have been received in the first two weeks of Masterton District Council’s consultation on amending the Long-Term Plan 2021-31, to progress plans to build more housing on the vacant land at Panama Village.

In June 2021 the Council agreed to make vacant land at Panama Village available for someone else to build public housing on, and the current consultation is on options for doing this.

The Council has identified two options:

• sell the vacant land at Panama Village on the condition it is used for public housing
• lease the vacant land at Panama Village on the condition it is used for public housing.

Because land at Panama was bequeathed to the Council, with a condition that it should not be sold or leased, either option will require High Court approval. Feedback from the community through the consultation process will help shape the application to the High Court.

Submissions close at 4pm, Tuesday 26 April, with 28 received by yesterday (4 April).

Submissions may be made online through the Council website, via email to: submissions@mstn.govt.nz, in writing (dropped off to the Council’s office at 161 Queen Street, or the Masterton District Library), or by phone on 06 370 6300.

Anybody wanting to know more about our proposals or needing support to make a submission, can talk to elected members and staff Masterton District Library at the following times:

• Tuesday, 12 April 2022, 10-11am
• Tuesday, 19 April 2022, 10-11am.

All people making a submission have the opportunity to discuss it with elected members at an online workshop. Workshops will be held on:

• 6pm Wednesday 20 April 2022
• 12 noon Wednesday 27 April 2022.

© Scoop Media