Hon Dr Nick Smith
Minister of Housing

15 August 2013 Media Statement

Minister turns sod for Northern Glen Innes housing redevelopment

Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith today turned the sod to mark the beginning of construction of at least 260 new homes as part of the Northern Glen Innes redevelopment project.

“This project involves redeveloping an area that had 156 old, cold and at the end of their economic life state houses on large quarter acre sections to build at least 260 new modern, warm, dry and safe homes. The project also involves modernising another 40 state houses in Glen Innes and exterior upgrades to a further 276 across Tāmaki,” Dr Smith says.

“The Northern Glen Innes redevelopment is about increasing the supply of houses in Auckland, realigning housing size to modern needs, improving the quality of social housing, and shifting from intensive state housing neighbourhoods to mixed tenure communities.

“Part of solving Auckland’s housing challenge is making better use of the Government’s land holdings. This means redeveloping areas with large underutilised sections close to the city with more intensive housing. This also supports the development of improved public transport systems and is consistent with Auckland’s proposed Unitary Plan.

“This redevelopment better aligns Housing New Zealand’s homes with today’s needs. We have too many three bedroom houses that are either half empty or overcrowded and a shortage of single, two bedroom, and four and five bedroom homes.

“We are deliberately moving away from the old housing model of concentrated state housing estates. International experience and social research findings consistently show we can get better social outcomes from mixed tenure neighbourhoods.

“I appreciate that change can be difficult for communities and disruptive for the families affected. This short-term downside is far outweighed by the long-term benefits of providing more homes of better size and better quality for more families. I look forward to joining with the first 49 families to celebrate moving into their new homes around Christmas this year.

“96 of the 156 families affected by the redevelopment have chosen to transfer to other state houses in areas of their choice – including 63 within the Glen Innes/Panmure/Mt Wellington area. Housing New Zealand continues to work with the remaining tenants to move them to locations of their choice.
“We are also making maximum use of the old houses, with some of the houses Te Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira sought to block the removal of transported to his electorate of Kaitaia for nine social housing units by the He Korowai Trust. Others have been transported to Springhill Prison to be refurbished and redeployed to other Housing New Zealand properties.”

The entire redevelopment project is expected to take between three and five years to complete.

ENDS

© Scoop Media