Damian Rowe – stuff.co.nz

An application is set to be lodged to make way for the largest residential housing development in Invercargill since the town was first established.

Invercargill land development firm Bonisch Consultants were the project managers for Te Puāwai, a residential development, planned for the 70-ha block of land between Tramway Rd and Centre St, flanked by Rockdale Road and Regent Street.

The proposal was to create more than 600 sections in multiple stages and include a commercial hub, medical practice, childcare centre, cafés and a retirement village.

Bonisch Consultants were planning to lodge an application for a private plan change with the Invercargill City Council to re-zone the land for the development.

Bonisch Consultants managing director Boyd Wilson said it was exciting to be part of a project that would improve Invercargill’s housing landscape and help to relieve some stresses within the housing market.

“This is a gamechanger. Everyone is concerned about the growing house prices and exactly what money buys you in Invercargill – it’s pretty disheartening to see houses without proper insulation and heating that are set on flood zones go for huge amounts of money, and even those homes are out of reach for many buyers.”

Te Puāwai will have house and land packages available, making access for first time home buyers easier, he said.

Project managers have worked closely with Waihōpai Rūnaka in the preliminary design stages for the project.

The Murihiku Marae neighbours the site on the south western corner.

Te Puāwai was chosen by the Rūnaka as the name for this new suburb; it means, “to bloom, to come to fruition, to come out of a flower”.

Waihōpai representative Michael Skerrett​ said so far the consultation process had been good but it would still have to go through the Invercargill City Council to decide.

The main concern it had was how the development might affect the aesthetics as Murihiku Marae overlooked the Hokonui hills but felt it would be mitigated, Skerrett said.

The 70-ha site will enable more than 600 homes to be built across a 10-year period with servicing points planned from the outset.

Residents of the area surrounding Te Puāwai were invited to a public meeting at the Newfield Tavern on November 4 to outline the project, meet with Bonisch Consultants and the Te Puāwai developers, and for residents’ feedback to be given.

Concerns around water in the area were raised by those who attended, as water has been an issue in the past, Wilson said.

“It’s great to have these questions – with the water concerns the development has been designed in a way where these environmental effects will be mitigated through the design, ensuring the land is safe for building,” Wilson said.

The private plan change application to Invercargill City Council to allow Te Puāwai to go ahead would be lodged before the end of November.

Some residents currently living on Rockdale Rd believe they had been hearing stories of developments for years.

Alana Williams, who had been living on Rockdale Rd for 15 years, said she heard of developers having plans 10 years ago but nothing eventuated.

Another Rockdale Rd said they did not like the idea of the development as they moved because the area was quiet.