Farmland has a new crop
Homes are springing up all over in a new community development, writes Sandra Goodwin The central community playground in this new neighbourhood is completed and already popular.
The rural vibe is very much in evidence as Fletchers Whenuapai development unfurls with more residents moving in and more homes completed and ready to buy. “Whenuapai” is Maori for “good land” and Fletchers is paying homage to this land’s farming history in several ways, explains Fletcher Living’s manager Auckland North, Matt Davies.
“The overall master plan here is to create a community largely from scratch but still retain the essence of nature and space,” he says.
Four big oaks from the farm that used to be here have been resited into the central town park, near the original farmhouse which is being refurbished as a cafe and expected to open in September.
Davies says: “The idea here is to retain that sense of rural living . . . in a city fringe location.”
He explains the architecture has been influenced by the rural heritage as well, favouring traditional roof forms and low- maintenance materials such as brick, timber and metal cladding in a nod to robustly practical farm architecture. Although the colour palette can vary across the range of homes, it is kept largely neutral allowing the surrounding greenery to be the hero.
Standing in one of the show homes Davies says: “You can look out the window here and see nearly all the way to Hobsonville.”
The 62ha development is part way through stage one of eight stages but there are residents moving in every week. As well as terrace houses and duplexes there are stand- alone homes, including single- level and two- storey configurations.
Number 50 Pamu Rd is a four- bedroom singlelevel example of a stand- alone home. It’s an attractive amalgam of grey brick and Hardies’ panelled cladding on a fully landscaped site complete with fencing, lawn and even fruit trees.
Its open- plan living- dining area with heat pump flows out to a patio for outdoor entertaining. Its smart kitchen has Caesarstone bench tops and gas cooking with Fisher and Paykel appliances, including a double oven.
Three bedrooms are supported by a family bathroom and the master comes with walk- in wardrobe and its own en suite. The internal- access double garage with laundry is carpeted and the home has an alarm system.
The central community playground in this new neighbourhood is completed and already popular. A big green enclosed slide snakes down from its timber tree house and climbing walls ascending a rock bank and hillocky tunnels accompany more traditional playground equipment.
Davies recalls when he was young his dad used to drive him over this way from the North Shore to play rugby and it felt like they were going to another planet. These days improved roading including the Northwestern Motorway extension makes it 25 minutes off- peak to Queen St, with Albany 12km away and NorthWest Shopping Centre only a couple of kilometres away.
Down the track, a bar and a medical centre will complement the existing shops and facilities serving this growing community, which has long included the RNZAF Base. Ever- growing Hobsonville Point is only 5km away, giving Whenuapai residents easy access into its burgeoning facilities including schools, ferry service and farmers’ markets.
Fletchers do not sell homes off the plans, preferring to offer potential buyers completed homes with nothing left to the imagination. The duplexes, adjoining terrace houses and stand alone dwellings sold here to date have attracted a crosssection of buyers ranging from families to downsizing baby boomers. WHENUAPAI Completed new freehold terrace houses, duplexes and stand- alone homes in a new community being created on former farmland at Whenuapai. A: 3- 4 bed, 2- bath single- level stand- alone homes, 191- 196sq m, on grounds of 400sq m, from $ 965,000; with double internal- access garages. B: C: D: INSPECT: SCHOOLS: ON THE WEB: