Regional Review - Nelson/Tasman

There’s a lot to love about Nelson and the neighbouring Tasman District. From the air, the curve of Farewell Spit is one of New Zealand’s most distinctive landmarks. It’s the geographical centre of New Zealand, and it has all those sunshine hours. Nelson’s vibrant city centre is the gateway to superb beaches, with the Abel Tasman and Kahurangi National Parks on its doorstep. Creative industries, and alternative energies flourish in communities along the coast, with 300 working artists in the region.

The secret is out, though, as Nelson’s population growth rate is one of the highest in the country. Figures from the 2013 Census show Nelson had the second-highest growth for New Zealand, and the highest percentage in the South Island, in the stretch between the 2006 and 2013 Census, at 8%. Just next door, the Tasman District came in second in the South Island, with 6% growth between the census years.

Glenn Morris is well placed to know the Nelson property market. He is the long-standing secretary of the Nelson Property Investors’ Federation, ran an independent property management company, and has been buying investment property in the region since 1992. 

Morris sees growth as Nelson’s point of difference from other regional cities. “They say that this year the population of Nelson will hit 50,000. To put that in perspective, when I first moved down here in 1971, I think it was in the mid-20,000s”, he says.