Three-storey public housing complex being built in central New Plymouth
Construction will soon start on a 45-unit public housing complex on the corner of Leach and Cameron streets, New Plymouth. This is an artist’s impression of the final product.
Construction is about to start on the biggest public housing development Taranaki has seen in more than 30 years.
A three-storey development is to be built on the corner of Leach and Cameron streets, opposite Pak n’ Save New Plymouth, for people on the public housing register.
The 45 units are being built by Soho Group Limited, in partnership with Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities.
Resource consent has been granted, with construction due to start next month and completion expected by the middle of next year, Soho development manager Brad Davis said.
The two-block complex will be made up of 23 two-bedroom units, and 22 one-bedroom units.
Seven of the units will be fully accessible for people who need wheelchair access or assisted living, and there will also be a community room space/office and child play area.
“It does look really good - we’re pretty proud of it,” Davis said.
The buildings that were once on the development site have since been demolished. (File photo)
Once the homes are completed, Kāinga Ora intends to take ownership.
In an emailed statement, Taranaki, Whanganui and Manawatū regional manager Graeme Broderick, said the Government agency was in the early stages of that agreement with Soho.
Broderick also said this is the first “major state housing construction” to be undertaken in Taranaki for more than three decades, as the need for such developments had been low.
“That need has increased, and we are endeavouring to fill that need as quickly as possible."
Latest Government figures show there were 764 people in Taranaki on the public housing register in February.
Last year the Government said it expected to deliver around 80-120 public houses and 40 transitional houses around the region by 2024.
Soho, which is based in Auckland and builds and maintains medium-density housing developments around New Zealand, bought properties on the corner of Leach and Cameron streets for $3.5 million last year.
Those buildings, including the old Taranaki Honda dealership, have since been demolished to make way for the complex.
Davis would not say how much the firm would spend on the project.
Davis said his company first visited Taranaki about 14 months ago, after looking at statistics and identifying it as a region “where building is needed, where is it is being neglected”.
“There's a regional focus at the moment.”
Davis said the location of the development was central to both schools and shops and gave people “a chance to be there if they’re priced out”.
Soho Group has been operating for almost five years.
“We were essentially founded to help supply affordable public housing,” Davis said. “And the stigma is a real issue.”
Soho has built multiple complexes in Auckland, and one in Hawke’s Bay, Palmerston North and Whanganui, and more are in the pipeline across the country.
Davis said there was “absolutely” a chance of Soho undertaking more development in Taranaki.
“Both local and regional council in New Plymouth/Taranaki are taking a pro-active approach to such housing solutions which is great for the region," he said. “But there's no tangible plans yet."
Published on Stuff.co.nz April 2022
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