Groundwork Starts On Te Puāwai Residential Housing Development

Groundwork has now started on the largest residential housing development in Invercargill, Te Puāwai, with Stage 1 providing 100+ sections expected to go on sale in the second half of this year.

Te Puāwai is the new residential development on a 70-ha block of land between Tramway Road and Centre Street, flanked by Rockdale Road and Regent Street. It will create more than 600 sections in multiple stages and will include a commercial hub, which will look to include neighbourhood facilities such as a medical practice, childcare centre and cafés. A retirement village is proposed for the western part of the development.

The plan change we submitted to rezone the land was clear of all appeals and able to be given effect on February 24 and two weeks later we have a digger on the ground, said Bonisch Consultants managing director Boyd Wilson.

“The speed at which we’ve started the site works signifies the developer’s commitment to keeping the project on target and providing viable sections for locals to alleviate pressure on the local housing crisis,” said Boyd.

The first 100+ sections will on sale until the second half of this year with titles forecast to be available from the middle of next year for settlement. The total 600 homes are to be built across a 10-year period with servicing points planned from the outset.

The Stage 1 sections are located in the Southeast corner of the site, accessed from Tramway Road. They ranged in size from 370m2 to 610m2 and Boyd said the design reflected a modern residential development with a focus on being built around community spaces.

“Community would be built around shared green spaces and large recreational zones which are Key to the design. This means even our Stage 1 residents will enjoy functional and welcoming spaces right from the outset,” Boyd said.

The developer lodged an application for a private plan change with the Invercargill City Council in 2020 to rezone the land for the development. Site work would remain undisruptive to neighboring properties including Murihiku Marae.