Battle of Boulcott Hip hop cops Bones, graves NZ police are may stay again on the council plan P3 beat P5 The Hutt News Tuesday, July 5, 2016 ALICETOWN: RV $510,000; SOLD FOR $704,000 AVALON: RV $565,000; SOLD FOR $784,000 Part of a sizzling market, 36 Tama Street in Alicetown, left, and 6 Rosebank Place in Avalon sold for well above their rateable value. Boom sees Hutt homes soar JARED NICOLL strengthened by record low inter- ‘‘The market should continue ‘‘Make no mistake the number of homes for sale in est rates and a lack of housing this way for a few more years at Wellington in March was down 40 Lower Hutt property buyers are stock. the minimum with our current this is not a housing per cent on the previous year. being priced out of the market as Figures provided by the Real low interest rates, which experts crisis like some ‘‘Any house at the moment is the boom reaches levels not seen Estate Institute of NZ revealed the picking they will drop again this popular, whether it’s $300,000 or since the 1980s. average house price in the Hutt year. claim, this is just $800,000. There’s just such a lack A modern home in Avalon Valley rose 19 per cent from ‘‘Make no mistake this is not a another property of stock.’’ with a rateable value of $565,000 $332,500 in July 2011 to $397,000 in housing crisis like some claim, Cheaper areas such as Naenae, sold at auction for $784,000 last May this year. this is just another property cycle cycle hitting its Stokes Valley and Wainuiomata week while a villa with an RV of The average house price in hitting its straps.’’ straps.’’ were also on the up. $510,000 went for $704,000 in Upper Hutt Central rose from Kemeys said Petone had A two-bedroom former state- Rupert Kemeys Alicetown. $304,000 to $407,500. become a hot spot built on the Ray White Lower Hutt managing director house in Taita with an RV of Hutt City Professionals manag- Quotable Value figures showed development of Jackson St. $275,000 went for $345,000 follow- ing director John Ross said a Upper Hutt’s 1970s subdivision A house there recently sold for ing interest from eight bidders at ‘‘once-in-35-year phenomenon’’ in Totara Park had been driven up $750,000, almost 60 per cent more auction. market confidence had followed by intense competition between than its RV. Brockelbank said some rental the lows of the recent economic home buyers and investors by 7.2 Professionals real estate agent owners were seeing this as a downturn, similar to that seen per cent to $328,950 between Octo- Shane Brockelbank said the prime time to sell their invest- after a slow-down in the 1970s. ber and May. amount of Lower Hutt properties ment property, particularly as With the wider Wellington Ray White Lower Hutt manag- listed on TradeMe had plummeted rents were tending not to rise at market flat since 2008, the sizzling ing director Rupert Kemeys said to 183 on Monday compared to the same rate as house values. market was a natural correction residents were ‘‘going back to the about 700 this time last year. The amount of buyers for years lacking capital growth. tried and true investment of Meanwhile, figures from reaching down from Auckland That confidence had been bricks and mortar’’. Harcourts’ Market Watch show remained at a similar level. WINTER DEALS 2 HUTT NEWS, JULY 5, 2016 stuff.co.nz YOUR PAPER, YOUR PLACE did you know... 1/ FOREST AND BIRD Candidates wanting to stand Renowned water ecologist Dr Mike in this year’s Hutt City Council Joy is talking to Lower Hutt Forest elections will be able to get in FROM and Bird. Hutt Valley Tramping Club, their nominations from Birch St, Waterloo. Thursday July 7, Friday July 15. Nominations THE 7.30pm. close noon August 12. EDITOR 2/ RIVER MARKET If the weather holds, perhaps on Every work day you see it, the Saturday you could head down to thousands of commuters pouring the weekly market at the Riverbank CONTENTS down through the Valley into the Car Park. You can pick up fresh fruit, Conversations.......................................... 16-17 city — the familiar choke points 1 vegetables, fish, meat, bread and What’s On ..................................................26-27 at the Melling lights and Dowse artisan produce. From 8am till 2pm. Out and About .............................................. 28 interchange and, if there is an Legal Matters.................................................. 16 accident, the delay that causes. 3/ DOUBLE BOOKED Nadia Lim .........................................................49 New data has confirmed fears that The Heretaunga Players present a Dr Libby .............................................................48 congestion is rapidly getting show about the mayhem caused by Sport ..............................................................55-56 worse in our region and adding to a double-booked wedding. From the problem is that the escape July 7 till 16, at The Studio, Ward St. routes or ‘‘rat runs’’ are choking Tickets $16 through Ticket Direct. up too. About 4500 vehicles pour to do list This newspaper is down Hutt Rd at morning peak, 2 3 4/ ICE RINK subject to NZ Press instead of using State Highway 1 The Resene Cool Colour Wellington Council procedures. with its 9900 vehicles. Ice Rink is back at Odlins Plaza on A complaint must first So perhaps it’s time to make the Wellington Waterfront. Open be directed in writing, within one month of the shift and take the train into daily from 10am till 10pm. publication, to the editor’s email address. the city. And this week you will If not satisfied with the response, the notice a few differences. The 5/ ROLLERDISCO complaint may be referred to the running of the network has been A Maori Language Week Family Press Council. PO Box 10-879, taken over by French company Roller Disco is being held at the The Terrace, Wellington 6143. Transdev and the company is Or use the online complaint form at Kilbirnie Recreation Centre on www.presscouncil.org.nz Please promising improvements. There’s 4 5 Friday, July 8. The fun runs from include copies of the article and all also a fresh look for the staff with 6:30 till 9pm for a gold coin koha. correspondence with the publication. a new uniform. (See our report on Page 13) With more park-and-ride options being created throughout Contact us NEWS DIRECTOR: Sharron Pardoe, [email protected] or editor@ huttnews.co.nz, phone 04 474 0165 the Hutt Valley, this is a prime BUSINESS MANAGER: Grant Davidson, [email protected], Ph 5897617 opportunity to step out from EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES: 570-2040, 22 Raroa Rd, P O Box 300-29, Lower Hutt. Classifieds, 570-2040, behind the wheel and take a less [email protected]. DELIVERY each Tuesday to 43,561 homes and buinesses in Lower Hutt (including Wainuiomata, Petone, Stokes stressful ride to work. 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The local golf club named holes after The council is hearing an events in the battle, including one application by Summerset to called Massacre. change the District Plan to facili- After the battle, several Whanganui tate a $100 million retirement vil- Maori were charged with taking part lage in Boulcott. Johnston is in an armed rebellion and court- accusing the council of a ‘‘double martialled.