Council to build 25 new social housing units

Christchurch City Council has awarded the contract for the design and build of 25 new social housing units.

The contract has been awarded to Christchurch-based building company Miles Construction Limited and is expected to be completed by July next year.

The new one- and two-bedroom units will be built on vacant land across three of the Council’s existing housing complexes in Richmond, St Albans and Addington.

The project is part of a wider Council work programme to replace its severely quake-damaged and red-zoned social housing.

Communities, Housing and Economic Development Committee Chair Andrew Turner says reopening the Council’s closed social housing is a priority.

“The focus is on getting closed units open again for the community as soon as practicable,” says Councillor Turner.

“By building new units on existing sites, the Council can make better use of the land and provide tenants with more modern, energy-efficient homes to live in.

“It’s important that the Council continues to reinstate and grow its social housing to best meet the needs of the community now and in the future,” he says.

The 25 new units at HP Smith Courts, Berwick Courts and Harman Courts will have a 90-year lifespan and will be insulated beyond building code requirements. The units will also achieve Lifemark accreditation, which shows they meet specific design and accessibility standards to meet tenants’ changing needs.

Miles Construction Limited Director Alastair Miles says the company is proud to be partnering with the Council in building the new units.

“The Council is taking significant steps to replace and improve its damaged social housing for the benefit of the Christchurch community. My team is very proud to be a part of the progress, and we look forward to seeing the new units opened next year,” says Mr Miles.

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