Development Group to work on Glen Innes redevelopment
17 April 2012
Development
Group brings experience and expertise to
Glen Innes
redevelopment
A group of
three experienced development companies have joined forces
as the preferred partner for Housing New Zealand’s
redevelopment in northern Glen Innes.
“We are pleased to announce that Creating Communities has been selected as the preferred partner on this exciting and innovative project,” says Sean Bignell, General Manager Asset Development, Housing New Zealand.
“Creating Communities was selected through a formal process, and demonstrated the skills, experience and enthusiasm required. They bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the project, which is aimed at increasing and improving housing in Glen Innes over the next three to five years.”
“Creating Communities has the range of skills required to make the vision for the project come to life. We are looking forward to working with them over the next six months during the detailed planning stage of the project.”
Creating Communities is a development entity formed to capture and focus the specialist skills of Arrow International, Hopper Developments and Southside Group.
Creating Communities representative Murdoch Dryden, a Director of Creating Communities, says “Creating Communities is excited about the opportunity to partner in Glen Innes’s future. We appreciate that Glen Innes is a proud and diverse community. We see ourselves as a catalyst, working alongside the community and other local stakeholders, to help them to achieve their aspirations.”
Mr Bignell says Housing
New Zealand is using a robust and thorough selection process
to ensure the best development partner is appointed. The
process has three stages:
• Stage
one: invite interest from parties, and short-list
groups to submit development proposals
•
Stage two: select preferred partner and
develop detailed redevelopment plans
•
Stage three: confirm development partner
and begin physical redevelopment work.
Housing New
Zealand and Creating Communities will work closely together
over the next six months to begin detailed redevelopment
planning for northern Glen Innes. Subject to concluding
mutually acceptable commercial and legal arrangements, the
development work will be able to get underway late this year
or early next year.
Housing New Zealand remains committed to keeping tenants and the local community fully informed.
“There is still a lot of work to do
before construction work begins, and in the meantime tenants
can remain living in their homes. At the implementation
stage, tenants who have to relocate will be given plenty of
notice and support,” says Mr Bignell.
ENDS
Background
information
The northern Glen Innes
redevelopment project proposes the redevelopment of 156
properties to create at least 260 new homes,
including:
• 78 that Housing New Zealand will
own
• at least 39 other affordable homes
(possibly owned or managed through other social or community
housing providers)
• the remainder for
private sale.
The redevelopment will increase the number
of houses in Glen Innes, including options to rent from
community based organisations, home ownership opportunities,
and private sector rentals. It will provide better quality
state housing that meets the needs of the families Housing
New Zealand houses. The project also involves modernising
another 40 state houses in northern Glen Innes.
Creating Communities
Creating
Communities is owned equally by three shareholder partners
being Arrow International, Hopper Developments and Southside
Group.
Arrow International:
Arrow International is a project delivery company that
plans, manages and builds capital works projects.
Established in Dunedin in 1984, Arrow now has 10 offices
throughout New Zealand together with a construction company
based in Melbourne, Australia, and also undertakes projects
throughout the Pacific. Arrow International is one of the
country’s largest construction companies and has been
involved in undertaking the planning, management and
construction of a diverse range of residential, commercial
and industrial projects. Arrow International’s interest in
Creating Communities Limited is held via its wholly owned
development subsidiary Arcus Developments
Limited.
Hopper
Developments:
Formed in
1953 Hopper Developments is a privately owned land
development company based in Orewa, just north of Auckland.
While primarily a land development company, Hoppers has
diversified into housing construction, retirement village
development, civil construction and infrastructure financing
and management. The company is well known for its expertise
in creating coastal lifestyle developments.
Southside Group:
Southside
Group is an Auckland based development and property
management group which commenced business in the late 1980s.
Southside’s original business was the development of small
residential housing projects and it currently undertakes
significant commercial, industrial, multi-story apartment
and residential developments in the greater Auckland area.
Recent residential projects undertaken by Southside and its
partners include Baverstock Park and Eastpark Village, both
of which are located in South Auckland.
Southside have
partnered with Dryden Property Ltd, an East Auckland
property development and investment business, to deliver
this project. Dryden Family businesses have a long
association with Glen Innes. Murdoch Dryden, the owner of
Dryden Property, is currently Chairman of the Glen Innes
Business Association.
Southside Group’s interest in
Creating Communities Limited is held via Glen Brae Holdings
Limited.