Housing for Hokowhitu planned
Terraced houses with views across reserve land to the Manawatū River and beyond could replace a pocket of industry at Palmerston North’s Roxburgh Cres.
The city council is proposing to rezone the Hokowhitu land for residential use, creating space for potentially up to 123 homes.
It is asking for public feedback on the idea before preparing a formal proposal to change the District Plan next year.
The largest activity at the site is the Higgins depot, with the owners already indicating an intention to redevelop for housing.
Chief planning officer David Murphy described Roxburgh Cres as an industrial area sandwiched between the river and residential neighbours.
It had been identified as a future housing area since 2018.
Murphy said it provided a rare opportunity for Palmerston North to create housing within the existing urban area, and to respond to the need to free up more land for new homes.
It was flat, centrally located, and close to green spaces, public transport, schools and local shops.
Current landowners would have options to develop sections for housing, sell to a developer, or to carry on with business as usual under existing use rights.
Plans for the new neighbourhood would involve subdividing the small reserve at the Ruahine St bend, currently acting as a buffer between residential and industrial uses, for more housing.
A new access way to the riverside would be created in the middle of the new neighbourhood.
That public land swap would have to be managed through a separate process under the Reserves Act.
The plan would be to create sections for a mix of housing types on sections between 150 and 400 square metres.
It would allow homes of up to threestoreys high, which could provide residents with views over the stopbanks to the riverside walkway.
The council is hosting a drop-in session for people who want to learn more or ask questions of planners this Sunday, from 1pm to 3pm at the Conference and Function Centre in Main St. Feedback is due by 5pm on Friday, December 9.