The site fencing is up, and construction of a new senior housing complex in Flaxmere is set to begin from early next week, Hastings District Council has announced.
The development is a partnership between Council and Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), with funding through the contestable Affordable Housing Fund.
Called Te Pā Harakeke, it will comprise 39 new, affordable one and two-bedroom senior housing units situated on Council-owned land in the southwest corner of Flaxmere town centre, bounded by Caernarvon Drive, Swansea Road, and the newly constructed Pam O’Keefe Avenue, and Te Ara Huata.
Being built by Alexander Construction HB (Ltd), the complex will provide affordable, high quality homes divided into 12 blocks, each containing two to four units and designed to create a modern aesthetic and layout, the Council said in a statement. The plan also includes a shared public space.
As with Council’s existing senior housing, rents will be set at a percentage of equivalent market rent. In the case of the new homes, that will be 80% of median market rent, meeting the threshold for ‘affordable housing’ set by HUD. The rent for Council’s existing homes is set at 65 % of market rent, Council confirmed.
Hastings Mayor, Sandra Hazlehurst said it was very exciting to be bringing new senior housing to Flaxmere, and to have other complementary developments underway in the suburb.
“Recently it was confirmed that TW Group has purchased the Flaxmere Shopping Centre and a resource consent has been issued to TW Property for a new Woolworths supermarket complex to be built behind the village shops,” said the Mayor.
“These other developments will help support those residents living at Te Pā Harakeke, which is the first new senior housing to be built in Hastings in about 40 years.
“At the same time, new housing will also start being built by our development partners this year on the land behind Flaxmere College and the community centre, and at Whakaruru Cres – Flaxmere’s really on a roll.”
Council will host a Community Day at Flaxmere Park on Saturday, 5 April, where the public can learn more about the housing developments.
