A new subdivision in Hamilton’s Peacocke neighbourhood has been given the green light by Environment Court to deliver new homes and protect the environment in the area, Hamilton City Council announced today.
The Amberfield development has received a resource consent for some 830 residential sections stretching across a 109ha site between Peacockes Road and the Waikato River. It will feature a mixture of medium density housing types, town centre, and range of environmental protections for the native flora and fauna in the area.
Hamilton Mayor, Paula Southgate said the developers had worked alongside Council to provide a well planned subdivision and generous open spaces for people who will live there.
“Peacocke has been in the pipeline for Hamilton for more than 30 years and I’m thrilled to see it getting traction so we can deliver new homes for our city,” the Mayor said.
“But it’s more than just building houses. The developers have also prioritised parks, playgrounds and walking and cycling paths and we need all those things to create happy and strong communities.”
The consent reinforced the importance of environmental enhancement, she said.
“The Environment Court process was working through how to protect our endangered long-tailed bats. Peacocke has always been a huge opportunity for the city to invest in our environment. In fact, it’s one of city’s biggest ever environmental investments in terms of tree planting and gully restoration. So, I’m excited to see this now starting to happen.”
The consent includes conditions around the type of lighting and planting used to protect bat habitat and travel corridors, gully and riverbank restoration and a generous park and open space network. Exterior lighting controls and a cat ban will be conditions of housing in the area.
Independent commissioners initially approved the resource consent in late 2019, but several environmental conditions were appealed by both the developer Weston Lea Ltd and Department of Conservation in the Environment Court.
Mayor Southgate said she was pleased an agreement between key parties has been reached so they could get on with the job.
Hamilton City Council expects to complete essential infrastructure including a new river bridge, transport network and wastewater connections in mid-2023, with the first housing in Amberfield expected the following year.
When completed, Peacocke will be home for up to 20,000 Hamiltonians.
For more information about the consent, visit hamilton.govt.nz/Amberfield
