Government investment in sewerage, storm water and water storage infrastructure from the Housing Acceleration Fund will result in capacity for 2,000 additional houses in Porirua and create up to 250 jobs, Housing Minister, Megan Woods announced today.
“The first drawdown from the $3.8 billion Housing Acceleration Fund is a key milestone in the Government’s plan to address the housing crisis by increasing supply through large scale projects and speeding up the pace and scale of house building,” Dr Woods said.
“This $136 million investment will be of major significance to the people of Eastern Porirua, delivering crucial upgrades to wastewater infrastructure and the building of a new drinking water reservoir needed to get new housing consented.”
The Minister said funding will also be used to address land remediation and development work around Cannons Creek which, together with the water infrastructure, will provide additional capacity for another 2,000 homes on private and Government-owned land.
“This is a win-win investment. We’re addressing decades of under-investment in water infrastructure by replacing crumbling old pipes and unleashing the potential to build thousands of new homes in the process,” said Dr Woods.
“Fixing Eastern Porirua’s water infrastructure at Bothamley Park is another big bonus of this funding. It will reduce raw sewage discharge into local waterways, helping to address the long-term degradation of the harbour, Te Awarua o Porirua.
“This is vitally important for the resilience of the local water network and for Ngati Toa Rangatira because of the harbour’s cultural, historical, and spiritual significance.
“This regeneration project with Porirua City Council and Ngati Toa future proofs essential water services for the majority of the 19,000 existing residents in Eastern Porirua and prepares it for further investment to grow the community.”
The infrastructure upgrade work is being carried out by the Te Aranga Alliance of construction and infrastructure experts Higgins, Goodmans, Beca, Harrison Grierson, Fletcher, Brian Perry Civil and Orogen.
The Minister said an important focus of Te Aranga was creating employment and training opportunities.
“With an emphasis on hiring and upskilling local workers wherever possible, this truly is a community project. Te Aranga are looking at training opportunities to upskill anyone interested in being involved in civils work, so locals not only have the skills to work on the Porirua Development, but also future civils projects,” she said.
“It is still early stages of developing the programme but the initial estimates indicate up to 250 jobs could be created to carry out this work over the next several years, in addition to opportunities for contractors at different stages of the project.”
Te Aranga is about halfway through the demolition of 70 old, state homes that are past their best, and will make way for more new warm, dry and healthy homes.
Further decisions on funding priorities for Eastern Porirua will follow business case work by Kāinga Ora this year.
