Housing

AGM 2025 guest speaker – Simon Barber

• • AGM Minutes, Housing, Information, Meeting, RA • , ,
Simon Barber presenting at the Pukerua Bay residents Association AGM

Responding to requests from the wider Pukerua bay community, here are notes from the guest speaker portion of our latest AGM meeting.

Simon Barber, Pukerua Heights Residential Estate development manager for their current development off Muri Road.

Simon shared some slides of the Muri Road developments noting:

  • Silt retention ponds to collect runoff which will make room for the entrance once finished. 144 sites in 6 stages as the market dictates.
  • All the pine trees will be taken down.
  • Top of stage one – pine trees out, platform for first sites. SNA is fenced off to protect the trees there. Once upper area stabilised the proper access area will be put in.
  • Stage two the  old woolshed and pine trees will be removed.
  • Even though it’s hilly sections are benched out for the houses.
  • When trees come down we grind the stumps and mulch the slash then use the mulch to stabilise the site and allow vegetation to grow through.
  • Area above the site there is 50 hectares of native bush that PCC says has ecological significance. We want to bring development to the edge of it so people can access that block.

Questions from the floor:

(Community questions in bold, Simon’s answers in italic)

Ultimately the access road will service how many houses?

The council’s plan is to put a roundabout at the entrance to Mt Welcome Station. The plan is to link up the site to that roundabout as well have the access road onto Muri. The Mt Welcome development are applying for consent now.

17 houses will definitely use the Muri Road access. The other southern access will be more years away and will go around the outside of the wetlands.

What about the kiwi that lives on Muri Road?

Nature is front and centre.

Muri Road
The road is narrower than it was with border, People can’t go on the verge now. It’s narrower and cars come down fast. What’s happening in the future?

There will be no more heavy trucks beyond the number that are going through now. Whole road will be sealed once works are complete.

We spent $120K on a plan to have access direct from Highway 59 to the south but PCC wouldn’t allow it.

All work on the road-side is in the council corridor so all in the PCC plan. We’re following their plan including restoration of the area.

Muri road is designated as a Slow road. What are doing to make it safe?

Consent is comprehensive and we’ll follow the plan. Simon suggests – we should arrange a joint meeting with council about the issues. Will be a give way sign from new site onto Muri Road.

Can the same restrictions as the logging trucks be put on the building trucks? Eg during school hours.

Good idea, yes.

Please talk to natural space and waterways.

After the silt retention ponds are no longer needed, the subdivision will have rain gardens for stormwater.

Paper road towards Gray Rd has waterway. A path coming through paper road – will be part of the future development.

There’s a reserve with walking track towards railway station. Green areas protected and SNA.

You haven’t given us visuals of the buildings themselves. When will we see them and how high will you be able to go?

Same as anywhere in PCC – 8m height. Mix of single and double story. Some townhouses and standalone. We will also sell sections.

(Note: supplied visuals had been put on RA website – link here)

All residential zoning and you can do what you want on standalone sections (within PCC rules).

Stages 5&6 don’t have water yet so needs to wait for the new reservoir to be built.

Sections will be open to buy.

Who owns the trees? How many houses will fit in the entire block?

We’ve cleared trees but haven’t sought consent for all of it.

We haven’t sought approval for other stages than the current 144 sites.

Nga Tahu Property and Pukerua Holdings are developing Pukerua Heights as a joint venture (Pukerua Bay Limited Partnership).

Pukerua Holdings own the remainder of the block beyond the initial 144 sites under development.

60-65% of the entire site will remain in wetlands and native bush.  All the various blocks north of Plimmerton (Mt Welcome etc) are part of Northern Growth Strategy.

We think it will take 6 -10 years to build the current section. Growth will be at pace of market.

Possibly 20 or 30 houses a year.

All the trees will be mulched or buried. No burning is currently planned although they have burnt waste to the south.

Infrastructure. Why didn’t know about this 3 years ago?

144 residences are in the current development and this area has always been zoned residential for the last 50 years . Future schools and other infrastructure things part of the northern growth strategy. This is PCC led. We’re only looking at this section off Muri Road.

Reservoir will be built later to service some of the block and another block to the south. They are applying for consent now and will take a couple of years to build.

Paper road. Path coming through paper road. Not zoned in this area – will be part of the future. No planning has been done as part of our initial block.

Sewerage connections – are they already in?

As our block already had zoning, our connections are into the existing network. Some will be connected to the south in the future. 

Wastewater? Thought at we were at capacity?

Some of the wastewater will be going through a new pumping station. The new station caters for other places as well as the new houses.

As a Muri Road resident I have to phone people you to find out what’s going on.

For future reference I think you can do better communicating with us that are affected with trucks sitting in our driveway etc.

156 points in our resource consent and we’ve done our best to follow it.

What happened to the consultation we did about the Northern Growth?

(Paul and Moira) Northern Growth Area Special Development Project – was halted by a change of government.

Can you supply us more information?

Yes, we’ll put it through the website.

Street lighting?

Our designers design it and approved by council. Send something to me and I’ll send you more information.

I’m happy to fill the knowledge gaps.

ACTION

Be great to have a joint meeting with RA, Simon Barber and Council. Many concerned about the speed of traffic on Muri Road and have points that need to be addressed by council roading people.

The full AGM minutes will be posted once approved.

Muri Road Development: May update

• • Housing, Road safety • ,

Advice has come from Pukerua Holdings Ltd that a notice board at Muri Rd will shortly be erected by the Civil works contractor, Bryce O’Sullivan Contracting, as the new road entrance starts to open and civil works (drainage, roading etc) get underway.

These works will also include the upgrade of a section of Muri Rd between Sea Vista Drive and just beyond the new subdivision entrance (see below).

All affected residents will shortly be updated via letter of these road widening works.

This work is expected to start in August for a period of approx. 10 weeks.

There will naturally be some disruption for this short period, however, the developers believe this will ultimately lead to a much-improved outcome for all residents.   

Muri Road Upgrade Scope of Works

For those wondering who Pukerua Holdings is have a look at https://www.companyhub.nz/companyDetails.cfm?nzbn=9429050538195, https://oversightsolutions.co.nz/profile/PUKERUA-HOLDINGS-LIMITED or

Muri Road Development: April update

• • Housing, Road safety •

The developer’s earthworks contractor is about to commence clearing works on the roadside of Muri Road, starting from Monday 7th April and lasting 2-3 days. Traffic management will be operating so expect some delays. The location of these works are highlighted in red bordered area.

Following this the Contractor will commence earthworks to join into Muri Road at this location. Estimate this work to start in 2-4 weeks, subject to progress on-site. Progress updates will be provided.

Muri Road Development

• • Housing •

Pukerua Bay Holdings Ltd which is undertaking the housing development off Muri Road has been in touch with PKBRA to give an update on the development. This is set out below.

As mentioned, we have now completed the 1st phase of our forestry harvest operation and ready to commence the stage 1 earthworks programme at Muri Rd.

Residents will shortly receive notice via their letterbox of the commencement of works on site from the Contractor, Bryce O’Sullivan Contracting (BOSCO).

The works will include opening the new road entrance for the subdivision at the midpoint between 34 and 50 Muri Road.

One additional lot will be created off the ROW at 34 Muri Road.

See below screenshot of the approximate scope of works, marked in red.

As with our forestry logging operation to date, we will continue to comply with all requirements as set out by Porirua City Council.

Our aim is to always keep any disruption to neighbouring residents to an absolute minimum, where possible.

Media comment on Fast Track Bill projects announcement

• • Consultation, Housing, RA

The Residents Association was approached for comment on the Mt Welcome farm housing development being included in the 149 in the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Plimmerton Farm development is also included in the list of 149.

This is the response we sent to the journalist.

“We understand the need for extra housing and the Northern area of Porirua has been identified as a high-growth area. We generally support the approach being taken so far. Pukerua Bay residents, and the Residents Association have put a lot of work into ensuring that any development meets both the social needs of the community and protects the environment. We submitted to the council’s review of the district plan and there is a special district plan (Variation 1) that covers the area the Classic developers land is in. This includes a high degree of protection for freshwater in the area, particularly any water that flows into the Pauatahanui arm of the Porirua Harbour. It is also based on medium-density housing, which our RA supports. The environmental protection in the district plan is strongly supported by local residents.

“PCC had been working with Kāinga Ora on a potential Specified Development Project for the Northern Growth Area, which would have integrated all the housing developments between Pukerua Bay and Plimmerton, to ensure a joined up approach for roading, community facilities, public transport and other infrastructure. We would not support any developments being taken out of that holistic approach by this Fast Track process.

“Taking individual developments out of this integrated approach looks like a step backwards for the city if it allowed developers to ignore the work council, residents, developers and Kāinga Ora have already done and take a short-cut that can ignore the appropriate environmental protection. Any approvals under the fast track process should include the conditions and environmental protections that have already been negotiated by council and developers.”

Story on Stuff and The Post: https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/350442299/porirua-and-kapiti-coast-developments-slated-fast-track

Logging about to start on Muri Road housing development site

• • Announcements, Housing

Logging of the pine plantation is about to start on part of the Muri Road housing development by Pukerua Holdings Limited.

The area is the part of the development that has been zoned as residential for many years and is the area closest to the existing houses in Muri Road. This is the Muri Road Stage 1 development. Porirua City Council has issued a resource consent to Pukerua Holdings for the work and their contractors will begin working there in the next couple of weeks.

It’s anticipated the operation will last about four months.

Here is a letter being distributed by Pukerua Holdings to neighbours over the next few days. Access to the site will be by a temporary entrance at the northwest corner of the site adjacent to 50 Mui Road (marked with an ‘X’ on the map). Logging trucks will be limited to three loaded trucks per day, and the trucks will have a pilot vehicle along Muri Road.

No trucks will run between 7:30am–9:00am and 3:30pm–4:30pm.

Safety

Please stay out of the site if you are used to using it for recreation. Forests are dangerous places during logging.

District Plan panel cancels tower blocks

• • Consultation, Housing

In a decision that’s likely to please Pukerua Bay residents, the latest version of the Porirua City Council Proposed District Plan has removed any possibility of high-density housing being built in Pukerua Bay.

Read the latest version of the Porirua City District Plan here.

Kāinga Ora had proposed that every part of Pukerua Bay within 800 metres of the train station should be rezoned as ‘high-density housing’, which would have allowed at least six-storey buildings taller than 22 metres. We were worried that the panel was going to agree to that proposal, or at least rezone all the land within 400 metres of the station, which was the original Kāinga Ora proposal.

PCC has accepted the latest version without change as the new proposed plan. In this, the whole of Pukerua Bay is now locked in as ‘medium density housing’, which is the default for the Wellington region. This allows for up to three houses of three storeys each (up to 12 metres high) to be built on all residential properties as a permitted activity (i.e. without needing a resource consent).

Many Pukerua Bay residents, including the Residents Association, sent in submissions opposing the high-density proposal, and the Association is very pleased to see there won’t be any here.

The current version can be appealed to the Environment Court, but unless the court makes any changes, the latest version will be the final operative plan everyone has to follow.

Climate change and resilience added to District Plan

We were also very pleased to see that the panel added a new section on climate change and resilience to the introduction to the District Plan variation that covers the new developments off Muri Road and the Mount Welcome deer farm (i.e. Variation 1 Northern Growth Area).

We had pointed out that there was no mention of the need to both build to anticipate and prevent the impact of climate change in the new developments, and not do anything that would make it any worse. The panel added proposed wording directly from our submission:

The development will incorporate design principles that anticipate the effects of climate change, to mitigate its impacts, to avoid contributing to it and to increase community resilience.

Kāinga Ora invites public feedback on the Porirua Northern Growth Area proposed key features

• • Consultation, Housing

Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities is inviting the public to provide feedback on proposed key features of a potential Specified Development Project (SDP) for the Porirua Northern Growth Area (NGA).

According to Kāinga Ora, the SDP process “supports collaboration between the public and private sectors and mana whenua, and is a tool that can be used to plan and deliver complex and transformational urban development projects, helping address Aotearoa New Zealand’s housing shortage.”

SDPs allow Kāinga Ora to take over some of the rule-making powers from local councils to ensure that multiple developments are integrated with each other and the surroundings. It’s intended to avoid issues where infrastructure is inadequate for growth and funding is not sorted out before work starts. It can also make sure issues like provisions for extra public transport, roading and schools are sorted early on in the process by working with the government agencies responsible for them.

Map of Porirua Northern Growth Area

The Northern Growth Area is around 1000 hectares of greenfield land in northern Porirua, primarily made up of seven major land blocks. It is the farmland between Camborne and Pukerua Bay, mostly on the eastern side of State Highway 59, and includes the Mt Welcome deer farm and the Muri block being developed by Barber Commercial (i.e., Jennian Homes).

This area has been identified by the Porirua City Council and the Wellington Regional Leadership Committee as suitable for future urban growth. In August 2022, it was selected for assessment as a potential SDP under the Urban Development Act 2020.

Since then, Kāinga Ora has been working in partnership with Porirua City Council and Ngāti Toa Rangatira to assess whether the NGA should be recommended for establishment as an SDP.

Here is a diagram of the SDP process (PDF). Kāinga Ora in Porirua is currently at step 1 (‘Kāinga Ora carries out initial assessment’).

Kāinga Ora is inviting people to find out more about the proposed key features and provide feedback on the proposed project area, objectives, and governance body, between 31 August and 29 September 2023.

They have organised two local drop-in sessions, which we are all welcome to attend:

  • St Andrews Church Hall, 11 Steyne Avenue, Plimmerton, 5pm–7.30pm Thursday 7 September 2023
  • Pukerua Bay RSA, 5 Wairaka Road, Pukerua Bay, 2pm–4pm, Saturday 16 September 2023.

You can also make a submission online: Online feedback form on the proposed SDP

If you can’t do either of these things but would like to know more, call 0800 801 601 and the Kāinga Ora team will organise for someone to speak with you. You can direct enquiries to sdp.enquiries@kaingaora.govt.nz.

Please note, this isn’t about the proposal in the District Plan for 6-storied buildings in Pukerua Bay. That is being considered by the panel that heard submissions on the District Plan earlier this year, and we are all waiting to hear the outcome of that. That’s out of our hands now.

Documents and useful links

District Plan submissions on housing developments

• • Consultation, Housing

Last weekend we submitted our comments and the changes we want to the proposed variation to the Porirua District Plan for land around Pukerua Bay.

The variation would allow new housing developments on the eastern side of the village, off Muri Road and the Mt Welcome farm (the former deer farm off SH59). Read information on Porirua City Council website.

We suggested a number of changes and additions to strengthen environmental protection, explicitly acknowledge the impact of climate change, the need to identify funding for infrastructure before work starts, and changes to the urban design to improve accessibility and neighbourhood connections. The documents are:

Addendum

On 21 March 2023, Moira Lawler and Iain MacLean presented an oral submission to the hearing panel considering the proposed draft District Plan. These are the notes we provided to the panel in support of the submission.