Housing Accords to help Tauranga City and Western Bay of Plenty create more housing, including affordable housing, have been signed today.

Signed by Housing Minister Nick Smith and the region's two mayors this afternoon, the Accords will free up land and enable an additional 1125 houses to be built within the next two years.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council Mayor Ross Paterson and Housing Minister Nick Smith sign the housing accord, watched by from left, Tauranga MP Simon Bridges, Western Bay of Plenty District Council Deputy Mayor Gwenda Merriman and Bay of Plenty National candidate Todd Muller. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

Western Bay of Plenty Mayor Ross Paterson signed up first to an Accord aiming to increase the number of building consents issued in the Western Bay from 200 a year to 275 in the first year and 300 in the second – providing an additional 175 houses.

Ross is looking forward to engaging with the Omokoroa community about the Accord next month.

One of benefits of the Accords is council is in control of where special housing areas are created and what rules apply to developments within those areas, says Ross.

'This can ensure that there are quality developments in the right place.

'There are potential residential areas in Omokoroa where infrastructure and commercial development is already in place and where changes can take affect to complement the existing market.”

Housing Minister Nick Smith says the Bay of Plenty is an area of strong growth and the government's view is the Accord is absolutely critical.

'It's where the affordability of housing is not what it could be and as part of the government's broader reforms particularly around land supply to make progress."

Nick says the Bay of Plenty is the fourth centre to sign on to the Accord, behind Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch in terms of being the next least affordable part of New Zealand.

'It's been a particular pleasure working with Western Bay in that they were ready to go and use these mechanisms to get these extra houses under way.

'In my view it is part of the story of what we need to do if more young Kiwi families are going to be able to afford to own their own home.

'This area is destined to grow significantly in population; 11,000 additional people here in the Western Bay and an additional 20,000 people in Tauranga.

"We are going to have to keep momentum of this housing up if we are going to be able to make sure that we can accommodate those additional people and not have house prices go through the roof.”

Tauranga City Mayor Stuart Crosby says the implementation of the Tauranga Housing Accord comes after making a commitment with the minister in April to analyse the city and pinpoint where opportunities lie.

It is a way of helping council fast-track and facilitate more housing, including affordable housing, says Stuart.

'Tauranga City Council has been proactively working towards addressing housing affordability and supply issues through SmartGrowth for a number of years.

'With the Accord in place this now provides council the ability to speed up the consenting process for areas where there is a clear demand for housing."

He says earmarked sites cover the entire city with between eight-10 houses set down to begin with, followed by a further eight-10 at a later date.

The Accord is expected to be ratified at a Tauranga City Council meeting on August 18 to take immediate effect.

Councils will then have the ability to recommend Special Housing Areas to the Government.

Housing Minister Nick Smith and Tauranga City Mayor Stuart Crosby sign the housing accord.