New Neighbourhood
Kerepeti, Hobsonville
It’s always a good thing when a project you’re working on turns out just how you planned. But it’s even better when it surpasses your expectations. That’s the happy position that Kirsten Andrews, the development manager for Ngai Tahu Property, finds herself in. She was impressed when she first saw the plans for Kerepeti, the company’s master-planned residential development at Hobsonville Point. But now construction is well under way, she says she’s delighted with how it’s shaping up.
“I’m really proud of what we’ve done. It’s looking really good — the combination of brick with weatherboard is so timeless. It is still going to be looking good in 10 years. And it’s going to be the kind of place that people are happy to come home to. I think there is going to be a lot of excitement about what we have to offer.”
Ngai Tahu Property is a South Island-based property company which, in the past two decades, has been responsible for residential, industrial, commercial and retail developments.
Kerepeti is its first foray into the Auckland market, and it has joined forces with NZ Super Fund and New Ground Capital, which are helping to fund the development.
A total of 208 homes are being built on two different sites in Hobsonville Point, called Kerewhenua and Uku.
Forty-seven of those are being kept as longterm rentals, while the rest will be available for purchase, starting with 41 homes in stage one.
Thirty per cent of the development has been earmarked as Axis Series homes, which means they’ll be priced at $600,000 or below for buyers who meet criteria such as being a New Zealand citizen or resident and earning less than $85,000 (if they’re a single purchaser).
Kerepeti will comprise a wide selection of homes, from apartments and terraced houses to standalone homes.
“We wanted a variety so we can encourage a range of buyers,” says Kirsten.
“From first-time buyers and young families through to empty nesters, it will be great to have diversity. We want there to be a feeling of community.”
Properties range from small but perfectly formed one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartments through to townhouses with four bedrooms, two living rooms and a study.
The look of the properties will also vary, so they have a sense of individuality. “We didn’t want lots of cookie-cutter homes.” Dasha Tarasova from Context Architects, who master-planned and designed Kerepeti, says the aim was to create communities that were vibrant and safe and provide residents with a great quality of life, as well as looking good.
Brick was used in construction because it is durable and low-maintenance, and also references the history of the area. (Hobsonville’s clay soil lead to the establishment of pottery works in the area the 19th century, one of which would go on to become Crown Lynn.)
“Kerepeti means worked clay or pottery,” explains Dasha.
“We drew inspiration from the ideas of layers and flexibility of clay to mould its shape.”
Careful attention was paid to making sure the design included outdoor living spaces, consideration of privacy (construction materials were chosen that help to minimise noise) and use of sustainability principles, such as rainwater harvesting, good insulation and orientation towards the sun.
The properties all come with large wardrobes and storage spaces.
Parking varies from single internal access garages through to basement parking.
The two parts of Kerepeti are on separate sites on Hobsonville Point Rd of one hectare each, with Kerewhenua opposite the local primary school and Uku opposite the secondary school. KEREPETI, HOBSONVILLE POINT ON OFFER: OPTIONS: BODY CORP: INSPECT: SCHOOLS: CONTACT: ON THE WEB:
“They’re both handy to local amenities,” says Kirsten. “Plus the ferry makes it so easy to get into town, and there’s also the bus service.”
Construction started earlier this year and the first homes are expected to be complete in early 2018.