Park-to-housing plan closer
Last month, Te Pare Kauika Ltd told the council of its plan to build up to 22 residential buildings at Newfield Park, a 1.8ha site in the city's suburbs.
The group said it aimed to create a culturally grounded housing community which supported kaumātua and tangata whaikaha (those living with disability).
Newfield Park has been earmarked for partial disposal since 2013, and the presentation led to the council revisiting that at a committee level on Tuesday.
Te Pare Kauika Ltd kaitohu/director Janice Lee said her team celebrated every time they made it through another small part of the process.
The development, Te Kāwai, would protect and nurture the most vulnerable in the community.
"This is about whoever it is working with those vulnerable communities to create sustainable change.
"We're just wanting to create the change that is going to support all people to have the support to be able to thrive in the community."
The value of the project was that it could be replicated and scaled, changing the way aged care and disability transitions were done.
It was commended by councillors at the June meeting, and again on Tuesday.
Deputy mayor Tom Campbell said he was enthusiastic about the project while Cr Lesley Soper said revoking the reserve status would be the first step in making the land rateable.
The committee's decision to recommend revocation and disposal to the full council did not guarantee the final outcome would be the Te Kāwai proposal, she noted.
It started the process of revocation which still needed approval from the Department of Conservation.
The Minister of Conservation would ultimately have the final say in whether revocation was allowed.
The project would create up to 22 residential buildings, a community hub, communal facilities, off-street parking, secure storage and an administration office.
It would house up to 40 residents by way of 10 three-bedroom homes and 12 two-bedroom homes.
• LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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