Developers building homes far away from bus and rail stations may be charged a public transport levy, if the Greater Wellington Regional Council has its way.
Transport committee chairperson Thomas Nash said the move was to incentivise urban development where public transport was already accommodated for, but a greenfield developer argues the levy would be more of an obstacle. Public transport providers were being stretched, as many developers looked to build in low-rise, spread out areas that were expensive to service with new routes.
The proposal is one of 34 resolutions the regional council passed last Wednesday, and originated after hearing residents’ needs for new bus services in areas such as Kāpiti and Wainuiomata, where there was rapid urban growth.
