Housing plan
An empty block of land less than a hectare in size at 162 Waihi Rd, Judea could soon become the site of 32 new affordable town houses aimed at retirees and first-home buyers with a budget up to $350,000. The area was being considered for a special housing area development - and if approved the project could be fast-tracked under the Government-city council Housing Accord, and Special Housing Area legislation. Mayor Stuart Crosby said the council had been working towards addressing housing affordability issues.
Beach tragedy
"We just want him to come home." These were the heart-wrenching words from the family of missing 5-year-old boy Jack Dixon who was swept away by a freak wave at Shelly Beach on Wednesday, October 1. His father Wayne Dixon and mother Karen Spargo said they were "shocked, upset and lost" at what happened. An outpouring of community empathy included candlelight vigils, donations, prayers of support and extensive searches. "Not a day goes by where we aren't looking for our precious boy Jack," they said.
Top sausage
Farmer Jones in Owens Place won gold in the pre-cooked or barbecue category for their sausage Big Red in a national hunt to find New Zealand's next top sausage. The store was also awarded silver for its entry in the continental ready-to-eat category with its Cheese Kransky. Other silvers went to Col's Butchery on Maunganui Rd for its black pudding and New World Waihi for its Premium Beef sausage.
Treaty vision
A Treaty settlement block in Papamoa could be transformed into a subdivision featuring hundreds of affordable homes for young families. Papamoa hapu Nga Potiki's hopes for its 27-hectare block have been unveiled as part of a major initiative to speed up construction of nearly 2000 homes in the future satellite town of Wairakei. It intends to make affordable housing a "significant focus" for its development of up to 460 sections. The hapu would seek "maximum value" from the land, but pledges it would be socially and culturally responsible.