Hon Dr Nick Smith
Minister of Housing

7 August 2014

Fenchurch neighbourhood project at Tāmaki launched

A neighbourhood regeneration project consisting of 32 new homes, a new Early Childhood Education centre and the redevelopment of the local Scout Hall was launched today as the first phase of the long-term plans of the Tāmaki Redevelopment Company (TRC).

“The Tāmaki Redevelopment Company is a partnership between Government and Auckland Council to redevelop this community of predominantly state housing. Our objective is a stronger community through better quality housing, more housing, a greater mix of tenure and improved community facilities. There has been extensive consultation over the past year on TRC’s 20-year plan and it is now time to get on with implementation,” Dr Smith says.

The projects launched today include a new Early Childhood Education (ECE) centre at the Glenbrae Primary School site. A contract has been let with Keith Hay Homes Limited for the construction that also includes work experience for local Tāmaki College students.

The Fenchurch housing development in Glen Innes consists of a phase A of 11 new social homes for which contracts have been let and construction has begun, and a phase B of 21 homes for which resource consent was granted this week. A third dimension to the Fenchurch neighbourhood redevelopment is the refurbishment of the local Scout Hall on Department of Conservation land. A community hub is planned for the site.

“The Tāmaki regeneration programme is about more than just building more housing, but this wider mandate for community redevelopment also makes it more complex. The work of the Tāmaki Redevelopment Company is to get the different arms of local and central government working in coordination and in partnership with the local community and the private sector to transform their neighbourhoods. I commend TRC, Housing New Zealand, Ministry of Education and the Department of Conservation for the progress that is being made with this Fenchurch phase,” Dr Smith says.

“The Auckland Council is a key party in this redevelopment. This Fenchurch phase could not occur without the coordinated upgrade of local infrastructure and the use of the Special Housing Area mechanism that is part of the Auckland Housing Accord. The Auckland Housing Project Office has been particularly helpful in getting this project progressed.

“There has been understandable angst in Tāmaki about these significant changes to their community. A huge effort has been put into engaging and involving residents. The Tāmaki commitment that every tenant who is displaced by the redevelopment will be offered an alternative in Tāmaki has been reassuring. While it is impossible to satisfy everyone, the overwhelming message from the 1100 responses to the consultation on the Tāmaki Strategic Framework was to get on with it, and we are.

“The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the Tāmaki Redevelopment Company this month with funding of $9.6 million over the next three years. There are huge gains to be made with better social outcomes, better quality housing and more housing. This is New Zealand’s largest-ever urban regeneration programme and it is great to get it underway with these Fenchurch neighbourhood projects.”

ENDS

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