About 50 of the community’s 100 permanent residents met with Selwyn District Council last Wednesday to discuss the future of the huts.
Next week that future will be decided when councillors vote on a new deed of licence, including a four-digit price hike for residents to pay for an upgraded wastewater pipeline and increased inspections for the buildings.
Since 2020, the deed of licence for Upper Selwyn Huts has been extended annually one year at a time.
The current licence extension ends on June 30.
It comes as other residents in similar settlements in the area face eviction, with Greenpark Huts residents having until later this year to leave their huts on Ngāi Tahu-owned land.
Lower Selwyn Huts residents were given till 2034 by the Department of Conservation to vacate the area.
Upper Selwyn Huts is on Crown land, managed by the district council.
After the council makes its decision, residents will have until May 27 to decide if they want to sign onto the new licence and pay the new fee.
The fee ranges from $4752 to $7998, depending on the length of the lease.
It may be anywhere from five to 30 years, depending on what councillors decide.
Residents were first made aware they would be paying for the pipeline in 2019 at a cost of $3 million.
Since then, the cost has risen to $4 million, half of which will now be paid for by the council.
“My concern is that we should be on a district rating scheme for water and waste and we’re not, we’re paying a separate licence fee to cover the water and waste,” Evans said.
Wednesday was the first time residents had seen detailed costings and the effect it would have on their fees.
Evans was also concerned about the length of time the licences will be granted, with the understanding that once the licence time has elapsed residents will no longer be able to stay there.
“The undermining feeling ... coming from the council was that they rather us not be there,” Evans said.
District council chief executive Sharon Mason said it has been known since 2019 the huts could only be there for a finite time.
“In 2019, the council made a decision that hut licenses and renewals would be for a finite amount of time.”
Mason said if hut owners don’t sign the new lease the huts will have to be removed.
"Without a wastewater solution or a deed of licence there will be no legal right to residence at the huts, and sites will need to be vacated and huts removed.
"We are working on solutions to avoid this while we work together on the long-term outcomes.
“What we do want is time to make sure that we can work with the residents on what that means for the future of the site and themselves, and we met with residents on Wednesday to start that conversation,” Mason said.
As part of the proposed deed of licence council will be considering inspections to ensure huts meet regulations under the building code.
Resident Susan Rogers was concerned about the inspection and what it may mean for some of the buildings.
“They will not be going inside my house,” Rogers said.
Evans said residents are likely to be present at the council meeting.
- Anyone with questions about the huts can call 0800 SELWYN (735 996) or email huts@selwyn.govt.nz
