New houses in Flaxmere are getting closer with road and pipe work well underway, a decision on what development organisation will build them soon to be made, and Flaxmere tradies teaming up to give themselves the best shot at winning tenders or subcontracting opportunities to be involved in the projects.

At the beginning of this year, infrastructure works began at two of three sites that will deliver up to 150 new affordable, quality homes in the suburb.

At 244 Flaxmere Ave, where about 45 homes are expected to be built, the three waters pipe work is nearly complete and utility services will be installed in the next few weeks. Kerb and channel concrete has been poured for the new roads, with the service infrastructure project set to be finished by September this year.

Behind the Flaxmere Village shops, land is being prepared for another 40 houses. Since February the area has been transforming with earthworks now completed over the northern part of the site. The stormwater network is almost finished, and the sewer pipes are being laid.

At 72 Caernarvon Drive the design work is finalised and Council is now seeking tenders for the civil works. This site is expected to deliver about 60 homes.

Council chief executive Nigel Bickle said it was exciting to see the amount of work that’s already been done on the Flaxmere Ave and Swansea Rd sites.

“You can now start to see these subdivisions taking shape – at the end of this year the houses will be being built at 244 Flaxmere Ave and then we’ll see more going up in the town centre from mid next-year.

“Despite all the challenges of COVID-19, it’s fantastic this work has carried on at a good pace, and the next step is to find suitable developers to buy the sites and build the houses.

“This is all about providing affordable houses for our people.”

Council is currently working with three developers to negotiate a developer’s agreement which will result in warm, dry, healthy homes for the community.

Mr Bickle said that through the negotiations Council was seeking the key outcomes of affordable, healthy homes, and for there to be a focus on finding local tradespeople to build them, if they were suitable and appropriately qualified.

“It’s been great to see Flaxmere tradies getting together already and preparing to have discussions with the developers on building Flaxmere from the inside out.”

It is Council’s expectation that the preferred developers, wherever suitable, will use qualified and capable Pāharakeke-based and/or local trades, contactors, subcontractors and businesses (including training/apprentice pathways). The final decision, however, will be made by the developers.

“There has to be mutual agreement though, and the final decision is with the developers. From early discussions we know they are all excited to be able to contribute to Flaxmere,” Mr Bickle said.

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