MAKING CONNECTIONS
New affordable neighbourhood connects Manukau to city living, writes DARIA KUPRIENKO
Kotuitui 20 Barrowcliffe Place 2-3 1 1
Kotuitui translates from Maori as connection, and the new residential development Kotuitui is aiming to do exactly that.
Developer Mat Peters of Avant Property Development is passionate about creating a connection between the Manukau neighbourhood and city central lifestyle in his new urban development, a partnership with Te A¯ kitai Waiohua on land unlocked by Panuku as part of their Manukau improvement project.
“Often what happens in Manukau, people who live in the area don’t have a strong connection to the city as it’s cut off by the motorways, by industrial properties. It needs more after-work hours and more night-time connection,” Peters says.
Construction of the new neighbourhood’s 330 homes started in late 2018. The first stage of 61 terrace houses, 56 of which are Kiwi Build, is going live this month and will be complete in February next year.
Peters says Manukau is lacking an urban touch and first-home buyers are hungry for two- and three-bedroom townhouses.
“We are literally across the [motorway] bridge from the main city in New Zealand and so many amenities, and we believe first home buyers are looking for an urban environment.”
The terrace houses, starting at $575,000 for a two-bedroom, are affordable but the quality of the build and design is not compromised, says Peters.
The company brought in New Zealand architect Ken Crosson, who designed their previous development, Boathouse Bay at Snells Beach, to create a residential area where each unit has a point of difference.
“They [terrace houses] are not a row of sausages, they are individual houses. We want people to identify their own house by the design of their facade or their roof,” says Crosson.
“It’s important for us that people are proud of where they are living — no matter what project we do, everyone deserves the best and this is a good price for it too.”
The buildings are designed with windows on both sides for the sun, as well as a lounge opening to the outdoor courtyard. “You can have your barbecue, plant a lemon tree, have a herb garden — it’s all there,” he says.
Crosson says the new neighbourhood is suitable for a mix of people. “We don’t want to sanitise the community, we hope that we get a mix of demographics and it will evolve over time.”
Buyers will own the land as well as the building. “A lot of the concentration for Kiwi Build homes has been around costefficiency, but you have to create healthy, warm homes, quality community and the best possible outcome from the investment perspective.”
The Kotuitui terrace houses come with a carpark and a fenced backyard. Kitchens come with fridge/ freezers and dishwashers.
Sale: Prices start at $575,000 for two bedroom homes, $635,000 for three bedroom.
Contact: Karishma Singh, Colliers, 021 0235 9083