March 30, 2020

NZ Urban Development news from the media | 3 December | Bill to empower urban development projects

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Hi *|FNAME|*, Please find below Urban Development News from the media from the week of 10 December 2019.

Provided by Rockhopper

Bill to empower urban development projects

New legislation to transform our urban areas and create sustainable, inclusive and thriving communities will tomorrow be introduced to Parliament, Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford said.

“The Urban Development Bill gives Kāinga Ora-Homes and Communities the tools it needs to partner with councils, communities, mana whenua and private developers to build much-needed homes and infrastructure at pace and scale.

“Our Government wants to create thriving and diverse new communities which have a mix of state, affordable and market housing, good transport connections and great shared open spaces and parks. These will be places where people love to live, work and play."

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/bill-empower-urban-development-projects

Porirua housing partnership to improve housing in the city

A partnership signed today between the Crown and local iwi, Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangātira (Ngāti Toa), will improve the quality of state housing in western Porirua, says the Associate Minister of Housing, Kris Faafoi.

Contracts have been signed at a ceremony at Takapūwāhia Marae, in Porirua, between Ngāti Toa, Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to confirm the partnership.

This will see Ngāti Toa’s new community housing provider, Te Āhura Mōwai, manage properties and tenancies for over 900 state homes in western Porirua for 25 years, starting on 1 July 2020.

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/porirua-housing-partnership-improve-housing-city

Kaumatua housing units a step closer

Dreams of building kaumatua housing at Papakura Marae are a step closer.

Marae Chief Executive Tony Kake has told Papakura Local Board that pledges to complete the $2.7million in funding that will be required have been made.

“It’s fantastic news because our kaumatua are integral to the running of Papakura Marae and what we want to achieve,” he said of the plans that will see six of the nine units planned begin to take shape next year, and the underground infrastructure for all nine put in place.

https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/articles/news/2019/12/kaumatua-housing-units-a-step-closer/

New $85m Catholic cathedral planned for centre of post-quake Christchurch

A new $85 million Catholic cathedral will be built in the centre of a rebuilding Christchurch after a decision not to rebuild the historic, 113-year-old earthquake-damaged basilica.

The new church will form part of a $500m "community and commercial collaboration" between the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch, Crown regeneration company Ōtākaro Limited, and big city developers the Carter Group.

"North of the Square" has been billed as the largest private multi-site construction undertaken in the central city post-earthquakes, covering two large blocks of high-profile land, which have sat empty since 2011.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/property/news/article.cfm?c_id=8&objectid=12291741

Smales Farm's B:Hive wins top Festival of Architecture award

An eye-catching $80 million Takapuna commercial building with bright orange curving internal stairs has won the world's top 'inside office' award at the World Architecture Festival.

B:Hive off Taharoto Rd at Smales Farm was yesterday announced as the winner of the category.

Judges described it as an exemplary case of a sustainable and flexible workplace.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/property/news/article.cfm?c_id=8&objectid=12291459

Council still seeking information on flawed concrete walls of Auckland apartment block

Central Auckland's tallest apartment block is yet to get out of the ground because of flawed concrete in its foundations.

The contractor China Construction New Zealand has been struggling to investigate and fix the defects at the Seascape building on Customs Street East for more than a year.

The five-storey-deep walls of the carpark basement have voids in them and are contaminated by slurry.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/117886464/council-still-seeking-information-on-flawed-concrete-walls-of-auckland-apartment-block

Developer declined Rockwell group responsible for substandard building in Christchurch

A property developer says he rejected the developers who went on to build a substandard multistorey in Christchurch's central mall.

The building at 230 High St is in limbo, having been ruled as substandard with numerous design weaknesses that are an earthquake risk.

The building's fundamental flaws have only been revealed because a junior structural engineer was walking past one night in late 2017, looked behind the construction fence and didn't like what he saw – his firm, Aurecon, then blew the whistle to the council.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/117990191/developer-declined-rockwell-group-responsible-for-substandard-building-in-christchurch