3 February 2016

Special Housing Area redevelopment in 2016 critical to Auckland’s future

Housing New Zealand is set to build over 500 new social homes this year in Auckland for families in need. In doing so, the Corporation will deliver on an important commitment it has made to support the Auckland Plan vision through making better use of its significant regional land holding.

The vast majority of these new homes will be built under Housing Accord legislation in Special Housing Areas (SHAs).

Housing New Zealand’s SHAs typically comprise adjoining large sections that have to-date accommodated the archetypal single three-bedroom state house. These old homes reflect a bygone era of state housing, and are poorly-suited to the needs of today’s tenant base. With these old homes removed, collectively these sections can be reconfigured to provide for a variety of house sizes that meet contemporary demand for social housing.

Housing New Zealand has land in over *32 designated SHAs in Auckland. Across them it already has 192 new homes under construction, with construction on a further 65 due to begin in the first quarter of this year.

Beyond this immediate schedule, the Corporation has consent for 36 more homes; has applications currently with Council for another 38; and is working with a panel of architects on the design of a further 300-plus homes.

Housing New Zealand’s Acting GM for Asset Development, Patrick Dougherty, says that while the Corporation is focused on its core role of providing the right social homes in the right areas, its approach to redevelopment reflects the added responsibility it feels as a key stakeholder in Auckland’s future.

“One of the oft-overlooked factors in conversations around how to solve Auckland’s ‘housing crisis’ is that Housing New Zealand owns almost 7 per cent of its existing residential land. Therefore how we are able to better align our 30,000-plus homes in Auckland with demand, without increasing our own footprint, will have a significant influence over how Auckland is able to accommodate its rapidly growing population,” says Dougherty

“Our collaboration with some of the city’s leading architects is a hugely significant step change for us. This is not simply a question of us trying to avoid design uniformity in our buildings. Rather we are looking for best practise urban design outcomes so these new homes can be absorbed within the existing environment and our tenants can in turn contribute to sustainable, thriving communities.”

Dougherty says that although Auckland’s future form will ultimately be defined by the terms of the Unitary Plan, the interim Housing Accord legislation is vital as the Corporation simply could not afford to sit and wait for this to take effect.

“Redevelopment does not just happen overnight and so for us to deliver in the required volumes, we need to create a sustainable development pipeline that will see these new homes built year on year for the next decade. This process requires us to start to locate, design, consent and build now, the houses that will be part of Auckland’s future – and importantly this legislation enables us to do so.”
*This figure is subject to change as more SHA are approved as part of the process.

ENDS

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