City’s 1000 riverside homes plan
Wheels are moving on a multimillion dollar housing development that would turn Hamilton city to the south.
Resource consent has been lodged to allow homes to be built on 105 hectares of north-facing farmland that slopes gently down to the Waikato River east of Peacockes Rd.
Amberfield would accommodate 1000 houses in the next seven to ten years.
And if given the green light, development could start as early as next year, with the aim to have people in homes by 2021.
Developers kicked off the consultation process early and gave the public its first glimpse of the new development before submitting the resource consent application to Hamilton City Council on Monday.
The site will also include 23 hectares of open spaces and reserves, a neighbourhood centre and an esplanade reserve along the 2.8km river front that will include cycling and walking paths.
The development is part of the Peacocke site - a 720-hectare space that has the capacity for between eight and nine thousand houses.
Peacocke was included in the draft long-term plan and central government has backed it with cash - including a $290.4 million interest-free loan.
Waipa District handed Peacocke over to Hamilton in 1989 so the city could use it for future growth.
So far, there are only a few houses in the area - in the Dixon Rd-Ohaupo Rd zone.
Infrastructure is key and the developer will fund several million in infrastructure necessary to service the Amberfield development.
The council’s future investment plans for Peacocke include a bridge over the river from Hillcrest.
Add main roads and wastewater pipes throughout the area and the infrastructure bill is going to be more than $200m.
The Mangakotukutuku Gully would be protected.