Te Puawai Development Progressing Slowly

The first stage of the Te Puawai housing development is underway, with a resource consent finally lodged for the north-west corner of the subdivision.

The Invercargill City Council adopted a proposed private plan change in 2022, to rezone the 70.78ha site of rural land into a residential development.

Situated on the corner of Tramway and Rockdale Roads, the masterplan was changed earlier this year to extend the original 600-lot subdivision to a further 100 to 200 sections, making it more suitable for South Invercargill.
Related: New Direction For Te Puawai Housing Development

A consent for just 35 lots has been lodged, including a road extension and an adjacent reserve with a stormwater retention basin.

Director John Elliott said they were still having issues with the masterplan including the stormwater management, which would see them having to establish a sewage pump station for the first 100 lots.

He said that would come at a huge cost and they would firstly need to generate some income before stage one could get underway properly.

“But at least we can still do this first stage without impacting that too much.”

Te Puawai Developments was set up by the Rosemarie Foundation – a non-profit charitable trust, formerly known as The Christian Charitable Poverty Relief Trust.

The subdivision would go a long way towards alleviating some of the housing pressures in the city, and options would be given to first home owners.

John said the original design was uneconomic for South Invercargill and Stage 1 would have sections ranging from 400sqm to 700 sqm – including back sections, two-storied duplex townhouses, and cul de sacs to create more a community of its own.

Onsite work was planned for this summer, including earthworks and roadworks, and it was hoped the first sections would be on the market in April 2025.

John said they have had interest from home builders keen on purchasing some sites, but everyone was naturally cautious about how the market would go.