The Government has today announced the $10 million acquisition of a 2,016m2 carpark on a transit route in the Wellington suburb of Mount Cook, as part of a Kāinga Ora urban development programme to boost housing supply and affordability in the city.
“Wellington, in particular, is a difficult place to buy a first home and there is not a huge amount of land in the city that can be developed. This purchase will make a big difference for a significant number of prospective home buyers and people on a tighter budget who don’t want to commute huge distances. It’s about moving the dial,” said Housing Minister Megan Woods.
The Minister said early estimates show the Adelaide Road site could deliver up to 280 homes, all with close proximity to healthcare, jobs, education, public transport, and other local amenities.
“Adelaide Road’s handy location also means that the site aligns with several Wellington City programmes including the region’s proposed ‘Let’s Get Wellington Moving’ public transport corridor as well as the Green Network Plan, and the city’s Wastewater Renewals and Upgrades Programme,” she said.
The aim is to develop the site to include a range of housing options at different price points and will include some public housing, the Minister confirmed.
“The Kāinga Ora Land Programme, announced by this Government in March 2021 is about making strategic land purchases, with the backing of councils, iwi and other infrastructure partners, in areas where the market alone struggles to deliver the quantity and type of housing we need to make housing more affordable,” said Dr Woods.
