Critical infrastructure projects to kick-start new housing developments in Lower Hutt, Nelson, Rangiora, Ngāruawāhia, Hastings, Motueka, Whanganui and Lake Hāwea are being backed by a $192 million Government investment announced today by Housing Minister, Megan Woods.
“This Government infrastructure funding helps councils, iwi and developers make sure critical infrastructure like pipes, roads and wastewater connections, is in place, so thousands more homes can be built and communities can thrive,” said Minister Woods.
“The investment, announced today, is expected to enable around 11,500 homes across multiple housing developments over the next 10 to 15 years, including public, affordable, market and papakāinga housing.
“The projects, which otherwise may not have been possible, or faced significant delays, include road improvements and upgrades to the wastewater network in Hastings, approximately two kilometres of new stormwater pipeline in Lower Hutt, a new reticulated wastewater treatment connection in Lake Hāwea, and a road extension in Whanganui.”
Hastings District Council Mayor, Sandra Hazlehurst said the funding would further help address the region’s housing shortage.
“Since 2019 we have been working hard with our Hastings Place Based Plan partners to deliver homes that meet the needs of our community,” she said.
“Through that partnership we’ve seen the number of households in emergency housing drop from 133 in May this year to 65 in September, and four motels have now been vacated with those people moved into homes.
“The government funding that helped support and kick-start this initiative has allowed us to move more quickly than would have previously been possible, and we’ve made huge progress with hundreds of houses either built or in the pipeline.
“This investment unlocks further capability to address what is a long-term issue, and we are grateful for the Government’s ongoing commitment and partnership to enable our community to have a place to call home.”
The Government has allocated $18.5 million to improve Hastings road access and resolve capacity constraints in the district’s wastewater network, as well as providing drinking water supply to the Waipatu area.
The funding included a joint application between Hastings District Council and Heretaunga Tamatea Settlement Trust.
The Heretaunga Tamatea Settlement Trust is the post settlement governance entity for Heretaunga Tamatea, and the successful joint application for IAF funding with Hastings District Council represented one of its first opportunities to invest commercially, socially, environmentally, and culturally in its people, said chair Liz Graham.
“Te tapuwae o Rongokao – tapuwae nui tapuwae roa. Seeding our footprint into the future like that of Rongokako – far reaching and broad,” she said.
While in Hastings today, Minister Woods turned the first sod on works at 72 Caernarvon Drive in Flaxmere, a council-owned site where work is set to begin on roading and water infrastructure to enable about 60 affordable homes to be built.
