Media Coverage
NEWS / ARTICLES
Locals fight to keep small rural settlement's "lovely farming village" vibe
Mar 08 2025
A petition with 400 signatures has been presented to Tasman District Council opposing plans for light industrial and mixed business zones in the small rural community of Hope, just south of Nelson. (…)
Rural land loss worries Hope residents
Feb 25 2025
Around 100 people came together on Saturday to learn more about a plan to let businesses set up shop around the Tasman settlement of Hope.
Residents gathered at their local hall to probe Tasman (…)
Call to protect the land that grows food
Feb 04 2025
A Hope resident and an urban designer have joined forces to organise a meeting about planned development in Hope, in a bid to protect land that grows the food and think differently about development.
Garry Higgins is hoping (…)
Fresh FM Radio Interview
Jan 17 2025
In his second interview in Fresh FM’s Building Bridges 101 programme with Christin Schäffner, Timo Neubauer explains the benefits of neighbourhood plans, perimeter block urban form, resilience and better urban design in general.
NEWS / ARTICLES
Fresh FM Radio Interview
Jan 03 2025
Pedalling into a Culture War
Dec 11 2024
OPINION: A recent social media post about a biking incident landed me in the middle of a culture war that is raging in the minds of Nelsonians and Richmondites.
It’s a war in which motorists see cyclists as “entitled road lice”, where cyclists describe motorists as ignorant tank (…)
Draft Mapua Masterplan
Dec 01 2024
OPINION: Is it providing what we asked for?
The plan was recently released for public consultation, and after an initial review, I would like to share some observations. Over the next few months, I will be working on more comprehensive feedback. I share some of my key findings here, (…)
Why the Hope Bypass isn't the holy grail
Nov 30 2024
OPINION: The Nelson region needs its fair share of transport investment. For years we have been neglected while significant transport funding has gone elsewhere.
Finally there appears to be cross-party consensus that the Hope Bypass (or the (…)
NEWS / ARTICLES
Town Planning for the Future
Sep 23 2024
OPINION: It might sound really odd, coming from an urban designer, but I agree with Housing Minister Christopher Bishop on this: we need to remove development risks and unnecessary costs from urban intensification.
In times of housing, cost of living and climate crises, we have to provide housing (…)
PC29 ‘causing anguish’ – residents rally for sunlight in hearing
Sep 04 2024
If there’s one thing Nelsonians value above all else, it appears to be sunshine, and they will rally en masse to protect it.
Residents claim the city’s reputation as New Zealand’s (…)
Richmond South - fact or fiction?
Sep 01 2024
OPINION: Tasman’s councillors Stuart Bryant and Kit Maling defend plans for urban sprawl on highly productive land while incorrectly calling intensification “extremely expensive” and opposed to common good.
Timo Neubauer calls for their returement. (…)
Design needs to come before rules, plan change panel told
Aug 29 2024
The intent of controversial Plan Change 29 is good – but a lack of design could lead to poor quality housing, a Nelson City Council panel has been warned.
Two weeks of hearings (…)
The classier, cheaper alternatives that could solve our housing shortage
Aug 25 2024
OPINION: New Zealand, we have a problem. We’re building bland and barely liveable townhouses. The soulless, grey-faced (…)
Richmond South
Aug 24 2024
“Misinformation” is a serious charge. In times of Trumpian “alternative facts” and especially when my professional integrity is questioned, this accusation cannot go unanswered.
While I can comfortably substantiate every statement made in my article, it appears that deputy mayor Stuart (…)
Are we getting "Richmond South" by stealth?
Aug 12 2024
OPINION: In 2022, the Tasman District Council (TDC) engaged with the public on its idea of “Reimagining Richmond South”.
The results: residents reminded council that this area was actually called Hope. (…)
Everyone's a transport expert, right?
Aug 01 2024
I was lucky in my career. I was a wastewater and stormwater engineer. The amount of ‘supporting’ comments from the public was minimal. We water experts ‘knew what we were doing’. It really was ‘out of sight out of mind’, unfortunately always (…)
Granny flat proposal ‘unlikely’ to affect Nelson’s density plans
Jul 03 2024
As Nelson overhauls its planning rules to cater for future population growth, a Government proposal to make it easier to build granny flats is receiving a mixed response. (…)
We subsidise suburbia. But should we invest in affordable housing instead?
Jun 23 2024
OPINION: New Zealand housing is expensive and Nelson Tasman is one of the priciest markets in the country. (…)
Tasman District Council needs to stop buy now pay later mentality
Apr 13 2024
OPINION: Tasman is a growing district. The way we provide for this growth has a significant impact on liveability, climate resilience and the economic sustainability of our district. (…)
Market Hall among city revitalisation ideas
Mar 30 2024
A covered market place was among several ideas proposed for Nelson CBD at summit aimed at revitalising the city centre.
The suggestion came out of Make/Shift Spaces What If (…)
In with the old - making better use of our existing buildings
Mar 16 2024
OPINION: Adaptation over demolition, especially when it comes to larger civic and public buildings, offers many benefits, says Magdalena Garbarczyk. (…)
Councils abandon plan aimed at encouraging townhouse builds
Mar 14 2024
The Councils disappointed a local architect who says that the wider regional benefits outweigh operational costs of such an entity. (…)
Don’t sweat the small stuff when it comes to emissions savings
What Is The Future of Mapua?
Mar 01 2024
OPINION: I was looking forward to Tasman District Council’s Mapua Masterplan for Mapua. After the flawed piecemeal approach of the past, an integrated masterplan is just what the village needs to deal withthe various demands, growth prospects and the threats (…)
Unifying Our Councils Could achieve so much more than just saving money
Jan 31 2024
OPINION: I agree with the Mayor of Nelson, Dr Nick Smith, that we should consider amalgamating Nelson City and Tasman District Councils. Nelson’s urban economic area stretches from Wakefield (…)
How to turn Nelson's unhealthy doughnut into a nice bun
Nov 11 2023
OPINION: Retailers in Nelson’s city centre are struggling. There is stiff competition for the spending power of our region’s residents and visitors from car-focussed, easy-to-access Richmond mall. (…)
Can we intensify Nelson without a design?
Oct 23 2023
OPINION: Plan Change 29 appears to divide Nelson in two camps: proponents of intensification, and those who are worried about the physical effects that such policy might have on established residential properties and the future look and feel of our town. (…)
Local Architects offer alternative intensification views
Oct 11 2023
As residents contemplate the vision that Nelson City Council has released in its proposed intensification plan, local architects have put forward (…)
Community at the heart of development
Aug 23 2023
Developers play a key role in future urban development in the region, but a local architect says the community needs to change its view of housing and make that clear for developers to follow.
William Samuels says the (…)
The Nelson Pod Interview
Aug 02 2023
The threat of urban sprawl and bringing vibrancy back to the city.
An architect, academic, and innovator, Magdalena shares with Matt both her concerns about the impact of urban sprawl on Nelson and Tasman and the solutions to it.
Medium-density housing model debated
Jul 21 2023
A Tasman-based urban designer says the Nelson-Tasman region has one of the most unaffordable housing markets in the country and needs a better model for intensification similar to the two or three-storied neighbourhoods in Europe. (…)
Motueka's tree removal exposes outdated, contradictory thinking, says urban designer
Jun 17 2023
OPINION: It is official: Waka Kotahi, New Zealand’s Transport Agency, is not acting “unreasonably” when it shows contempt for best practice, disregards its own design guidelines and destroys our towns’ and cities’ unique character in the name (…)
Cutting down motueka trees deemed "not unreasonable" by ombudsman
Jun 07 2023
A Tasman urban designer is disappointed with the Ombudsman’s decision that Waka Kotahi’s felling of 13 trees on Motueka’s High Street in 2021 was not “unreasonable”.
Timo Neubauer, who (…)
No to 'sausage flats' as group urges quality housing intensification
Mar 13 2023
Backyard housing intensification is a dead end, a flash flooding risk and lacks green space or privacy, say a Nelson architect and an urban designer.
Urban designer Timo Neubauer and architect William Samuels, who (…)
Housing plans make it impossible to meet carbon targets, groups say
Mar 11 2023
Climate groups are calling on the Environment Minister to investigate council housing plans they fear will put greenhouse gas (GHG) commitments beyond reach.
The groups said the Nelson City Council and Tasman (…)
Stormwater's inclusion in 3 Waters Reform will Worsen Flood Risks
Feb 03 2023
Bad planning is the root cause of the flooding we have seen, argues recently-retired water engineer Jan Heijs. Climate change just makes the consequences a lot worse.
OPINION: In the 2000s I was the three waters (…)
NCC roundup: Urban Development Agency
On Tuesday the urban development subcommittee heard from local architect and the Nelson Marlborough chair of Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects, William Samuels.
Samuels co-founded Nelson Tasman 2050 (…)
What is local democracy - why bother giving feedback?
OPINION (page 8): Last month there was a meeting in Mapua about a “Seaton Valley” development along Seaton Vallew Rd. A few months ago, many were anxious about the draft “Future development Strategy” (FDS) and the “Growth Plan Changes” in many of our local areas. Many (…)
Is it time for councils to be more active in shaping our cities?
Apr 09 2022
OPINION: In the face of unprecedented challenges we need bold, visionary policy from our local institutions, that not only sufficiently caters for our diverse housing needs but also ensures our towns and cities develop into vibrant, liveable spaces. (…)
Size matters when it comes to building your dream home
OPINION: As individual citizens who believe a radical change is needed in the way we design and live in our cities, it may feel daunting to realise that a lot of top-down decisions being made by government and local councils seem a world apart from (…)
Catering to our housing needs requires more than a cookie-cutter approach
Mar 31 2022
OPINION: What types of housing do we need in the future? Housing provisions should match the needs of the community; not what developers are keen to sell, which seems to be the (…)
Reimagining our future needs a radical rethink
OPINION: Are you feeling the pinch at the pump? The dramatic petrol price increases following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine highlight New Zealand’s vulnerability and our dependence on imported hydrocarbons. The bad news: High petrol prices are here to stay. (…)
The silent sprawl that's killing off our quality of life
OPINION: For as long as I can remember, my life in architectural education and practice has revolved around reflecting on the value of architecture.
Good design increases well-being, strengthens (…)
Urban sprawl in Richmond South the last thing Tasman needs
OPINION: Last week Tasman District Council pressed the button on developing a structure plan for Richmond South and Hope, paving the way for up to 2000 new Berryfields-style homes – more low density greenfield (…)
Auditor-General and Ombudsman action urged over High St Motueka
An experienced urban designer is calling on the Office of the Auditor-General and the Ombudsman to investigate after a “catastrophic loss of streetscape value” in Motueka. (…)
Urban designer calls for flyover option to be driven out of Richmond plan
A flyover should not be considered as an option to help manage traffic in and around rapidly growing Richmond, says experienced urban designer (…)
Tree felling in Motueka sign of 'silo thinking from the 60s'
Mature street trees were a vital component of an attractive streetscape and created a safer pedestrian environment. They worked like gates, signposting the town centre and made the street appear narrower, which led to slower (…)