Hon Steven Joyce
Minister of Finance
Minister for Infrastructure
Hon Dr Nick Smith
Minister of Building and Construction
Minister for the Environment
11 July 2017
Five Councils to receive funding through HIF
Five of New Zealand’s fastest growing Councils will have infrastructure projects funded through the Government’s $1
billion Housing Infrastructure Fund, Finance Minister Steven Joyce and Building and Construction Minister Dr Nick Smith
say.
“These funding decisions will help provide another big step forward in housing supply,” Minister Joyce says. “The
funding will be used to provide network roading and water infrastructure for 60,000 houses across nine projects in these
five fast-growing urban areas.”
“The funding of this infrastructure is bringing forward the ability to build these homes in some cases up to eight years
earlier than otherwise,” Dr Smith says.
“Adding these big new subdivisions will help lift the supply of residential sections and bring greater consumer choice
into the housing market.”
The successful proposals are in critical high growth areas including:
• Auckland Council – $300 million – 10,500 houses
Greenfield development (North-west) at Whenuapai and Redhills.
• Hamilton City Council – $272 million – 8,100 houses
Greenfield development (Peacockes) on southern edge of Hamilton.
• Waikato District Council – $37 million – 2,600 houses
Te Kauwhata (new development on the shore of Lake Waikare).
• Tauranga City Council – $230 million – 35,000 houses
Greenfield development at Te Tumu (eastern end of Papamoa) as well as a capacity upgrade to the Te Maunga Wastewater
Treatment Plant and a new (Waiari) water treatment plant (at Te Puke).
• Queenstown Lakes District Council – $50 million – 3,200 houses
Two new greenfield sites (Quail Rise South and Ladies Mile) on the Frankton Flats and an extension of the Kingston
township.
Proposals were assessed by independent experts and an independent evaluation panel recommended the agreed package to
Ministers.
“The infrastructure to be funded includes a new bridge over the Waikato River, a State Highway interchange, arterial
roads, water and waste treatments plants, pump stations and reticulation and collection networks, and storm water
drainage”, Mr Joyce says.
“This infrastructure initiative is the logical next step in our housing programme. We have freed up planning constraints
on new subdivisions through Special Housing Areas and reforms to the Resource Management Act but the areas zoned for
residences cannot be built on without infrastructure. We will be working closely with the Councils and developers to
ensure these projects are progressed at pace,” Dr Smith says.
“The next step is for the Councils to complete with the Government the detailed funding agreements which we expect to be
concluded in the next few months. There is also a huge amount of work required on resource consenting and construction
of the works. The first earthworks will be under way this coming summer, the first homes consented early in 2018 and
homes completed by late 2018.”
The Government expects to make statements on further new funding options and tools for housing infrastructure in the
coming weeks.
ends