May 24, 2016
Tamaki Makaurau iwi invited to develop townhouses
Nga Mana Whenua o Tamaki Makaurau Limited Partnership has been given a right of first refusal on two of the three latest sites that has been earmarked for housing in Auckland.
Housing Minister Nick Smith says the plan is to build up to 740 homes on the sites in Manukau, Waterview and Mt Albert.
Up to 600 apartments will go on 1.85 hectares in Manukau Station Road bought last Friday from Auckland Council.
The government is not obliged to offer that land to iwi and it will be offered directly to a panel of selected developers.
The limited partnership, which represents all Tamaki Makaurau iwi, will be asked to submit a proposal to develop a 0.47 hectare site on New North Rd in Mount Albert where there is room for 60 townhouses.
It also gets a shot at building 80 homes on a 0.9 hectare site in Waterview which New Zealand Transit Agency bought as part of its motorway tunnel development.
Mr Smith says the first homes should come on stream in 18 months to two years, with a proportion being either social housing or priced as affordable.
He says the cost of buying the land, as well as land for the 200 home Moire Rd development in Massey, has used up most of the $52.2 million allocated to the programme in last year’s Budget.
Finance Minister Bill English has signalled he will top up the fund in tomorrow’s Budget.
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