The first resource consent application has been received for one of Auckland's new "Special Housing Areas" designed to fast-track development.
The consent application is for a community development at Weymouth, South Auckland, which was the first of the special housing areas announced last month.
Subsequently another 10 housing areas were announced, with in total up to 6000 new houses possible.
More special housing areas are due to be announced by the Auckland Council before Christmas.
The special housing areas (SHAs) are being developed under the terms of the Auckland Housing Accord agreed between the Government and the council.
The accord allows for the fast-tracking of housing development in order to tackle a perceived shortage of around 30,000 houses in the Auckland region.
Under the accord there is a target of having 39,000 houses approved for development in Auckland over the next three years.
The council has set up a Housing Project Office, to serve as a 'one-stop-shop' in aiming to meet the accord targets.
A statement from the council said that a community housing provider had lodged the first resource consent application
Tamaki Makaurau Community Housing Ltd’s consent application is for a mix of housing types, matched to current shortages, including smaller two-bedroom units and larger four- and five-bedroom homes. The development also includes 3.7 hectares of parks and reserves.
The land is currently vacant with a "good outlook" on to the Manukau Harbour. It is zoned Mixed Housing (Suburban) under the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan, which was notified on 30 September.
The development at 398S Weymouth Road is for up to 300 new dwellings and sites over four years. The first of these will be ready to move into as soon as July 2014, with the entire development scheduled for completion by 2017. The affordable homes within the development are expected to be priced at between $325,000 and $475,000.
"The development is one of the first outcomes from the recent Tāmaki Collective Treaty settlement and signals the wide ranging leadership role mana whenua will have in the future shape of Auckland," Tāmaki Collective chair Paul Majurey said.
The Weymouth development is being undertaken through a mana whenua collective whose key focus is to provide high quality housing, all within an affordable price range. The support of the council’s Southern Initiative, the local board and the government has been important in reaching this point.
"We are working to ensure that the Weymouth SHA meets the needs of our community and that adequate infrastructure is in place to meet the needs of any additional residents in the area," said Angela Dalton, chairperson of the Manurewa Local Board.
"We appreciate the need for additional housing for Aucklanders, especially in the provision of quality affordable housing."
Developments within the special housing areas benefit from special consenting and approval processes to speed up developments, such as proactive council pre-application processes, fast-tracked consenting and limited notification and appeals. Most of the dwellings within the SHAs will be built by the private sector. At least 5-10% of these dwellings will be either available to first home buyers or community housing providers.
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