July 03, 2015
More whenua for houses in southside
Mana whenua will be looking closely at opportunities for homes for their people in two new special housing areas announced in south Auckland this afternoon.
An 87-hectare block at McLarin Road in Glenbrook is expected to provide room for up to 800 homes, which is good news for Ngati te Ata centred around nearby Tahuna Marae.
There will be at least 1000 homes built on a 68 hectare site at Bremner Road in Drury.
This is an area where Ngati Te Ata, Ngati Tamaoho and Te Akatai share interests.
Mayor Len Brown says the Bremner Rd developer has undertaken to build at least 150 affordable homes, which is above the 10 per cent affordable housing provision the council requires for Special Housing Areas.
He says the new sites are already closely located to amenities such as local halls, reserves and education centres, and the council is confident the developments can be well-serviced by existing or planned water, waste and roading infrastructure.
A council spokesperson says iwi will have a continuing role in the projects, including being part of effort to ensure water quality in the Manukau Harbour is maintained.
Housing Minister Nick Smith says the two new greenfield sites means the total number of Special Housing Areas in Auckland is now 86, with a combined potential yield of up to 45,000 new homes.
He says the existing 29 hectare special housing area at Fred Taylor Drive in Massey, West Auckland has been extended a further 5.2-hectares.
Under the 2013 Auckland Housing Accord between the government and the council, qualifying developments can be streamlined and fast-tracked around the Resource Management Act processes.
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