24 February, 2021

Hot property: Oneoneroa stage-two homes presold

The second stage of the Oneoneroa housing subdivision in Belmont is breaking ground now, with its Ngati Whatua developers saying they are taking a gradual approach to working out the best mix of housing across its landholdings.

With Auckland Council consents in place, building work will begin in May on the 16 stage-two homes.

Around 300 homes are likely to be built on the 7ha of iwi land off Eversleigh St in the next five to 10 years.

“We will go with what the market wants,” says the iwi’s properties group development manager, Gemma Park.

Right now, two-bedroom terraces and duplexes are proving popular with Auckland buyers and provide economies of scale to build, she says.

But the latest properties to be marketed off the plans also include two three-bedroom homes and two four-bedroom homes, all of which have already been sold. Pre-Christmas, four terraces that are part of stage two were also put on the market.

“The existing community is what’s attracted the people that are already living there now,” says Hariata Ngatai, a communications executive with the iwi.

The beauty of the site’s size is it allows for the development of a mini-community, she says, with the aim being to ensure a variety of quality homes that added to the area’s appeal. “We’re trying to create diversity.”

The iwi can potentially build as high as 13 levels in the zone, but if it does any multi-level developments, these are more likely to be four-storey blocks for which it already has consent.

Oneoneroa’s first dozen owners moved into their homes last year.

Four of the stage-two homes will front onto Eversleigh Rd. Earthworks off Lowe St will be followed by more work on Whetiko Way, which is off Rutherford St, where further site preparation has been done. Building on the lower part of the site and around Hillary Cres is some way off.

In response to Flagstaff questions about the relatively slow pace of development, the spokespeople say that this was deliberate: Ngati Whatua did not want to flood the market. It also wanted the flexibility of adjusting designs to suit demand rather than taking a cookie-cutter approach.

The iwi has been busy with Fletcher in a large joint venture at Kowhai Ridge in Massey, building several hundred houses, Ngatai says. It is also building 10 homes for kaumatua at its base in Orakei.

“We’re not like every other development. Our remit is to make sure we act in the best interests of our hapu members.”

This means thinking is long-term, rather than directed by the need to turn a short-term profit, she says.

“We’re still very committed to the area [Belmont],” says Park. The current plan is to build 20-30 homes a year.

The old Hillary Cres area and lower portions of the site will be developed later. “We’re going to be here for a long time, we’re not going anywhere.”

The iwi’s wish is to not suddenly over-populate the area. Commercial space and small shops may be added to the scheme later. It is hoped to cooperate with the council to enhance walkways in the area.

A sales office has been set up on the corner of Eversleigh Rd and Lowe St. Other work in the pipeline includes tidying weeds and filling a large hole on the harbour side off Lowe St. Undergrounding of powerlines at the bottom of the site is being looked at.

As part of its Treaty settlement, Ngati Whatua also acquired Navy housing in Roberts Ave. A number of older homes from there were relocated to Northland.

The iwi also has holdings in Hauraki, on Birchfield Rd and Marsden St.