Pacific Gardens offers 1150 new homes
A $700 million housing project will see more than 1100 homes built in South Auckland.
The Pacific Gardens project sits on a 9.4 hectare site beside the Vodafone Events Centre and Vector Wero Whitewater Park in Great South Rd.
Chinese-owned Changda International Development is leading the project which lies in a special housing area and has potential for several hotels.
It’s described as a ‘‘vibrant urban community that embraces people rather than vehicles’’.
The site will eventually feature prominent green spaces, a children’s playground and other community amenities, as well as a residents’ association, the developers say.
Some of the homes will be social housing while others are targeted at first-home buyers.
Changda NZ general manager Liu Yanbing says earthworks began at the site in October. Houses will start being built in April or May next year.
Stage one of the development, which will take five to eight years to complete, includes 21 terraced townhouses and 21 apartments, he says.
The company’s target is to have about 200 homes on the market each year.
The homes built first will range from studio apartments to four-bedroom terraced townhouses and are expected to start being occupied from early 2018.
Auckland mayor Phil Goff was at the project launch on December 1. He says the city is ‘‘growing rapidly’’.
It added 42,600 people last year as well as 800 vehicles each week to its roads, he says.
‘‘Our city needs another 14,000 houses and apartments each year.
‘‘This development will provide 1100 new homes to the people of our city. I can’t wait to see these houses going up.’’
Goff says Auckland ‘‘desperately’’ needs new development to help meet the demand for new housing.
‘‘We also need really good urban design. [Pacific Gardens] will be putting people ahead of vehicles which is really important for modern development.
‘‘As it’s a special housing area and will have affordable housing, I can’t stress how important that is.’’
Changda donated $5000 to Wiri Central School and the RaWiri Residents’ Association during the launch as part of its efforts to be a good neighbour.