More residential development land to open up in Auckland
The latest vast block of Flat Bush land to be opened up for new housing in Auckland has been placed on the market for
sale.
The latest residential subdivision land for implementing the Government’s Auckland Housing Accord to develop more homes
has been placed on the market for sale.
The enormous 61 hectare site in the Flat Bush suburb overlooking the soon to be built $500 million new Ormiston Town
Centre is currently zoned to support 300 houses.
However, the Residential 4 zoning is under appeal, and if approved by Auckland City Council, will have potential to
allow for the building a far greater number of homes.
The land – currently used for grazing sheep – is being marketed for sale through an international tender by Bayleys
Auckland. Company principal David Bayley said the property’s subdivision would go some way to achieving the Auckland
Housing Accord’s target of delivering a minimum of 6000 new sections onto the city’s constrained housing market in the
immediate future.
“The Flat Bush Road site now up for sale is bigger than virtually all of the 11 residential development locations
announced by the Government at the end of last year – and is second only in size to the 277 hectares set aside in rural
Pukekohe,” Mr Bayley said.
Housing Minister Dr Smith said the Auckland Housing Accord residential subdivision projects represented the "start of
getting real momentum into Auckland's residential construction market” and would qualify for the fast-tracking of
development processes.
"Land supply is the most critical issue we must address to improve housing supply and affordability in Auckland,'' said
Dr Smith.
At the launch of the Auckland Housing Accord last year, Auckland mayor Len Brown said the joint national
government/local government initiative would provide: “an opportunity to bring forward projects that may have otherwise
sat on the backburner.”
“This has certainly been the case with the decision to tender this latest offering to the market,” said Mr Bayley.
“By allowing this site to be part of the broader Flat Bush development jig-saw from its virtual ‘drawing board’ phase, a
developer overseeing a project of this size and scale should be able to have some design input and consultation on the
look and feel of the wider urban landscape,” Mr Bayley added.
The Flat Bush countryside of ‘greenfield’ subdivision land up for sale sits adjacent to two ‘Special Housing Area’
locations identified by the Auckland Housing Accord – with 37.8 hectares identified in Murphys Road, East Tamaki to
accommodate up to 275 homes, and seven hectares in the same road drafted to accommodate 300 homes.
“Both of these adjacent locations will see a much more condensed housing density than this latest site so we see the
trio offering home buyers far greater choice – ranging from compact through to what town planners call countryside
transitional sizing,” said Mr Bayley.
“With what will be the dynamic growth of social infrastructure around Flat Bush over the coming decade, this newest
subdivision to hit the market will piggy-back off the evolution of schools, retail locations, roading and community
amenities.
“Some confidence has also been expressed that the proximity of this location to two of the ‘special housing areas’ will
allow for a replication of the ‘fast track’ consent processes.
Essentially, that homes can be built quicker.”
Tenders for the Flat Bush site close on July 2. Mr Bayley said planning, design and consenting applications would take
about 12 months to complete – helping to snowball the Housing Accord’s target figure of 39,000 new homes and sections
consented between now and 2017.
"We must maintain momentum if we are to make a lasting change to the supply side of Auckland's housing market," said Dr
Smith.
In 2012, Auckland Council signed a joint venture plan with Todd Property Group to develop Ormiston town centre to
service the growing Flat Bush. The new town centre will witness the creation of a 19 hectare civic centre hub
encompassing retail stores, commercial offices, medical facilities, restaurants and cafes, recreational space, and a
proposed aquatic centre.
Population growth estimates forecast that Flat Bush will have a population of 40,000 people by 2016.
Caption: The latest vast block of Flat Bush land to be opened up for new housing in Auckland has been placed on the
market for sale.
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