WELLINGTON: An Auckland iwi has become a property developer in one of the city’s biggest and newest housing developments. Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the government and the Hobsonville Land Company to develop over 400 new homes. The frame of a new house under construction, with a blue sky behind it (file) The deal in West Auckland is a business venture for Ngāti Whatua o Kaipara (file). Photo: 123RF
This MOU is just a first step in the Crown’s land development programme in the north-west of Auckland, where Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara has a right of first refusal to the land. Once the home of the Hobsonville air base, a newly planned community with 3000 homes is planned for the 167 hectares of the upper Waitemata Harbour coastal land in West Auckland. The iwi has acquired a small portion of the Hobsonville Point development, called Te Uru.
Margaret Kawharu, chair of Ngā Maunga Whakahii o Kaipara Trust’s commercial arm, said the iwi was really keen on increasing its treaty settlement money. “It’s a nine hectare block and it’s in four different sections and there is potential for 430 homes, a large proportion of which will be affordable homes. “We’ll have a footprint here which is really important for Ngāti Whātua, and be able to develop housing areas around our five marae. Those areas need to be built up,” she said.
Fifteen percent of the homes were required to be sold below $450,000, 7.5 per cent below $500,000 and 7.5 per cent below $550,000, which Ms Kawharu recognised was still out of reach for some families. “For many people it’s not affordable, we’re conscious of that, but it’s the market that dictates that, but out of this we’ll make some money which we’ll bring home closer to the people.”
