A Te Tauihu iwi leading the development of a new 94-home subdivision in Blenheim is“delighted” the consent has been fast-tracked.
The 94 new homes to be built on Hospital Rd in Blenheim are the biggest iwi-led housing project ever consented in Blenheim, Te Rūnanga a Rangitāne o Wairau kaiwhakahaere matua (general manager) Corey Hebberd said.
“We are delighted to have received a fast-track consent for this project,” Hebberd said.
“One of the first projects I took on upon joining Rangitāne in 2019 was the pursuit of affordable housing on the surplus land adjacent to Wairau Hospital.
“To have now received consent is a significant milestone in the journey to realising this dream.”
The decision to fast-track the consent, under the Covid-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020, was released last Friday.
That decision outlined the application by Hāpai Development Property Ltd Partnership, a group comprised of eight Te Tauihu iwi, led by Te Rūnanga a Rangitāne o Wairau.
Hebberd said the development marked a significant milestone for Blenheim and the wider Marlborough region.
Te Rūnanga a Rangitāne o Wairau kaiwhakahaere matua (general manager) Corey Hebberd.
“As the largest iwi-led housing project ever consented here, it represents a collective effort to address the pressing need for affordable housing while also creating opportunities for our whānau to return home.
“Rangitāne are thrilled to be partnering with Hāpai Housing and other iwi to bring this development to fruition.”
He said the project was about more than just building houses.
“It’s about creating a community that reflects our values and meets the needs of our people.
“By incorporating a range of affordable housing options and well-designed amenity and open spaces, we are ensuring that this development will not only provide safe and warm homes but also build a strong sense of identity and belonging.
The empty Wairau Hospital land was sold by the district health board of the time in Blenheim.Supplied
“Through this development, we are reinforcing our commitment to kaitiakitanga, ensuring that our cultural values guide the development and support the aspirations of both our iwi and the wider community.”
The 6ha stretch of grass and trees behind Hospice Marlborough, including an empty building at 46 Hospital Rd, was put up for sale by the former Nelson Marlborough District Health Board in 2019.
It was later bought by Te Tūapapa Kura Kāinga Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (MHUD) for $4 million.
MHUD’s head of land acquisition and development Matt Fraser said at the time the property would be developed for housing with Wairau iwi partners.
The site had two separate titles, and there was a memorandum of understanding with the MHUD and applicant to purchase the land and develop it in a way that was consistent with state housing purposes, the decision said
The consent was for a medium-density “mixed tenure” development that was “well-designed” with a range of lot sizes for both standalone and duplex dwellings.
A communal reserve would be built in the centre, with homes built around it.
Rangitāne and Hāpai would work through the next steps, including the appeals process. It was hoped that work would commence on the site within the next six months.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ on Air.
