Racecourse on track to supply 850 new homes
Upper Hutt’s rapidly expanding economy has received another boost, thanks to a $12.4 million investment from government.
Funding from the Infrastructure Acceleration Fund (IAF) will kick-start a new 850-home housing development and shopping centre on Trentham Racecourse land.
Upper Hutt mayor and Wellington Racing Club (WRC) president Wayne Guppy said the development was great news for the city and for the racing industry.
It will ‘‘future-proof’’ the club allowing it to upgrade its facilities and continue to operate, as well as boosting the Upper Hutt economy. Guppy is keen to shut down rumours that the development will spell the end of the club. ‘‘I get people saying all the time ‘I see you are selling the racing club’ and I say ‘no we are not’.’’
The $12.4 million from the Government’s IAF, will fund critical transport upgrades in the area and enable the large, high-density housing development to go ahead. New infrastructure will increase the resilience of the entire Upper Hutt transport network.
Remutaka MP Chris Hipkins said it was ‘‘fantastic news for Upper Hutt’’ and the wider community.
‘‘This Government infrastructure funding will help our council and developers make sure critical infrastructure like pipes, roads and wastewater connections, are in place, so that thousands more homes can be built and communities can thrive.
In April, Tim Savell, the chief executive of RACE Inc, which administers racing clubs in the lower North Island, including the Trentham-based WRC, said the proposed
work would transform the track into a world-class venue. He said yesterday he was delighted that it had got the green light and he agreed with Guppy that it guaranteed the future of the club.
Although details of what will be built are yet to be confirmed, he said there would be a ‘‘bare minimum’’ of 850 new houses.
The project will provide the club with income and much needed new facilities, he said.
He was confident that there was a demand for housing and potentially a hotel.
Guppy said a lot of work was required before final details of the plan emerged.
The consent required for such a large project would be ‘‘complex’’ but he hoped to see ‘‘shovels in the ground’’ in three years.
Changes to planning rules that allow buildings up to six storeys high near a railway line will benefit the project. The project would use existing public space on the course.
Guppy said such a large project would have a major impact on roading networks and the council would consult with the public during the design stage. Other significant projects in Upper Hutt, included the $100m plus NZ Campus Of Innovation and Sport and the Blue Mountains Business Campus.