Waikato Expressway to supercharge housing
A building boom at the southern end of the Waikato Expressway is expected to shift into high gear when the final sections of highway slot into place, building industry leaders believe.
Satellite towns such as Morrinsville, Te Awamutu, Cambridge and others further south are set to be the big winners, Certified Builders Waikato Regional Spokesperson Mike Hayward said.
Residential development in Waipa¯ is already in growth mode. The district’s council reported issuing 353 building consents, worth $97m, for the final quarter of 2019.
It included 128 new residential homes. Overall there were 35 more building consents compared to the same period the previous year.
Hayward said it reflected a regional trend where the Waikato was ‘‘in a really good bubble’’ at the moment.
‘‘That’s due to the Waikato Expressway going in and once it’s completed all the way through to Auckland, it’ll really open up Cambridge and a whole lot of other towns further down the road.
‘‘There’s already a lot of sections coming up for development in Te Awamutu and Morrinsville, for example, sections that people can afford.’’
Hayward is the director and owner of Hayward Builders in Hamilton. He knows of some businesses from outside Waikato, which had relocated their staff to Hamilton.
‘‘That’s based on the fact it’s cheaper housing, better schools and more affordable against the other bigger cities. We just need to make sure there is enough land supply to keep up with demand.’’
Waipa District Council’s Quarterly District Growth Report was rubber stamped by its Strategic Planning and Policy Committee on this week.
The report said of the 128 new residential homes approved during OctoberDecember 2019, 56 were for Cambridge, 40 in Te Awamutu or Kihikihi and 32 others across the district.
Te Awamutu’s ZB Homes Managing Director Zane Beckett said Kihikihi in particular had ‘‘seen some serious growth’’ recently.
‘‘It’s because of the affordability of the area. It’s got that rural feel but is still close to the town centres, it’s not a huge drive to Te Awamutu and Hamilton.
‘‘Waikeria Prison expansion nearby is creating a lot of new jobs in the future and that is a drawcard for people looking to get in early, knowing that rental prices will be good.’’
People moving into Kihikihi and Te Awamutu were looking for new homes.
They wanted three to four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a double garage.
‘‘They’re out-of-towners, first-home buyers or people downsizing. They’re pretty happy to wander into a nice new home.
‘‘They’re looking for realistic land prices, that’s really the driving factor behind it all, banks are happy to lend on new builds.’’
Beckett agreed the Waikato Expressway would accelerate residential development.
‘‘That’s a fair statement. Once people realise it’s only an hour and a half to get up to Auckland, [Waikato] will become more accessible.’’
ZB Homes also has projects in O¯ torohanga, the Waikato district and had an office operating its business in Bay of Plenty and Western Bay of Plenty.
The company also has a healthy diary of industrial and commercial projects around Waipa¯ coming up in 2020.
‘‘We’ve already done some work at Titanium Park at Hamilton Airport, we’re working on an industrial block on Bond Rd in Te Awamutu, there’s lots of duplex housing in Hamilton as well.’’
The council’s Quarterly District Growth Report also showed there were 297 completed industrial or commercial projects for the final quarter of 2019.
Significant building consents issued for the final quarter included: retail, office and five apartments at Alpha St in Cambridge, estimated worth $4.6m; industrial/ commercial units, Rukuhia, $1.6m; church and community centre, Te Awamutu, $1.7m; warehouse, Hamilton Airport, $1m; refurbishment and extension of existing building, Cambridge, $1.2m; warehouse and offices, Tamahere, $3.6m.