Hon Amy Adams
Minister for Social Housing
Minister Responsible for Housing New Zealand
Hon Alfred Ngaro
Associate Minister for Social Housing

31 March 2017 Media Statement

Redevelopment to house 240 people making progress

The Government’s plan to develop 12 old houses into 44 new social housing is moving at pace in Auckland.

Social Housing Minster Amy Adams and Associate Social Housing Minister Alfred Ngaro were onsite in Mt Wellington to see first-hand four Housing New Zealand developments on the go in Auckland.

Ten new two, three and four-bedroom homes have replaced three old 1960s houses at 24-26 Bernard St and 1 Kealy Road. Across the four Mount Wellington sites, there will soon be 44 modern homes, where old 12 houses once stood. In total the four developments will have the capacity to house around 240 people.

“These high-quality developments show the work this Government is leading to help get more social homes built in Auckland,” says Ms Adams.

“Over the next three years, we aim to grow the number of social houses from 66,000 today to 72,000 across the country.”

Mr Ngaro says, “The Government is aware of the demand for more social housing in Auckland. We’ve seen an increase in the number of people needing a social house and emergency accommodation in our biggest city.

“The transformation of these four sites is typical of the work Housing New Zealand is doing throughout Auckland to make more efficient use of its land and transform older housing stock to provide greater numbers of warm, dry homes in areas of high demand.

“There are a number of redevelopments on the go, with more on their way.”

The new homes are all designed and built to modern standards, and include double-glazing, insulation, thermal curtains, carpet, and low-maintenance plantings.

The Ministers also officially opened a new laneway at the redevelopment. They were joined by local primary school pupil Kahalia Marinoto, who won a competition to name the laneway Ātaahua Lane (ātaahua means beautiful in Māori).

About the four Housing New Zealand redevelopments:
Now complete:
• Ten new two, three and four-bedroom homes have replaced three old 1960s houses at 24-26 Bernard St and 1 Kealy Road.

Due for completion soon:
• 13 new homes - 7 are two bedroom, 2 are three bedroom and 4 are four bedroom at 19-21 Kealy Road / 257-259 Panama Road. They replace four old houses.
• 1 & 3 Ryburn Road, 596 Mt Wellington Highway – 13 new homes will replace three old homes on a 2423 sqm site.
• 216-218 Panama Road – where eight new homes are replacing two old houses.

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