CHB retirement village proposed
A large vacant piece of land on Russell St, Waipukurau may be turned into a retirement village if a resource consent application before the CHB District Council is successful.
Ocean Developments is seeking subdivision and land use permission to develop a 13-unit lifestyle village on a block of land between Russell St and River Tce, behind the Tukituki Motel on Mt Herbert Rd.
Under the current CHB district plan, currently under review, the size of the sections being suggested was smaller than allowed, so the subdivision would be more dense, requiring the development to be publicly notified.
The development had been in the pipeline since 2015, and neighbours had been consulted about the plans.
Acting on behalf of Ocean Developments, registered surveyor Brian Foote, from The Surveying Company, Hawke’s Bay, said that to meet the demands and needs of senior citizens in the future, high density housing was required.
He said the site was suited to this and located centrally to all the services required— and that market forces would dictate whether people chose to purchase the units that would be freehold titles incorporating common access areas and a common outdoor area.
He said the development would improve the aesthetic appearance of the two sites between Russell St and River Tce, which had been “far from appealing” for the past 20 years.
“A well-executed development would have to be a 100 per cent improvement,” he said.
Central Hawke’s Bay mayor Alex Walker said such investment and development was important for the future of the district.
“We need to be preparing for a slightly older generation in our community and they have different housing needs.
“We currently have a shortage of housing in Waipukurau but, as well as a short-term need, there’s also a long-term need to look at how we accommodate people in our towns.”
Submissions on the proposal close on April 20, after which an independent commissioner will hear submissions.