An artist's impression of what the Girven Road housing development may look like.
An artist's impression of what the Girven Road housing development may look like.
The developer proposing to build 50 apartments and 16 townhouses in Mount Maunganui says he is aiming for a park-like, village setting with a focus on quality.
Tauranga resident Paul Spillane is already fielding inquiries from first-home buyers, empty-nesters and retirees interested in the proposed development on the 10,000sq m Girven Rd site, which is home to Golden Grove Holiday Park and an adjoining residential property on Paterson St.
Mr Spillane, who owns SNG Investments No 2 Ltd, would like Tauranga City Council to consider the site as a Special Housing Area - a site deemed suitable for new housing.
An artist's impression of what the development may look like. Image/Supplied
Mr Spillane said he chose the site because of its proximity to the beach, Bayfair, Baywave and Bayfair Doctors.
"It's got such good appeal for people to live there and have easy access to the beach," he said. The site is zoned for residential development but Mr Spillane is intending to exceed the standard 9m height limit for the three-level apartments (up to 11m) and incorporate a cafe and childcare centre that would generally not be anticipated in a residential zone.
The 66 homes are proposed at a medium density of one per 155sq m of land but the Golden Grove site is zoned suburban residential, allowing for development of up to one dwelling per 325sq m. Therefore, in order to go ahead, the development requires special area housing status, a resource consent or a change of zoning.
An artist's impression of what the development may look like. Image/Supplied
Mr Spillane, who developed the motel complex opposite Tauranga Hospital in 2013/14, said he was planning a development of similar quality on the Girven Rd site.
Some of the homes were $400,000 - appealing to first-home buyers and empty-nesters looking to down-scale to a low maintenance home they could lock up and leave for the weekend.
However, prices ranged up to $750,000, with some of the townhouses up to 200sq m.
He wanted the development - which would include a 100sq m cafe and a 700sq m New Shoots childcare centre - to be a village with mature trees and green spaces, giving a park-like effect.
"The idea of it is to create a community. I think I'm going to get a lot of interest from Auckland buyers. There's going to be a huge amount of greenspace, a lot of trees," he said.
"I think we're going to get a lot of retired people too, prior to going to a retirement village. I think the interest is going to be very high and the indications that we've got are very good."
Mr Spillane said all the homes would feature tiled kitchens and bathrooms.
"The quality will be there, I can assure you."
Aerial shot of Golden Grove Holiday Park.
Mr Spillane has lived in Tauranga for 20 years and wanted to create a place people enjoyed living. "It's more to me than just building houses," he said.
"There's a lot of locals that are going to be involved with this one," he said.
Mount Maunganui Progressive Association member Don Sweet objected to the plan being progressed as a Special Housing Area without thorough public notification and consultation.
While he might not object to the development, Mr Sweet said it needed to be progressed in a more public and consultative way.
With apartment prices starting at $400,000, Mr Sweet was also concerned the Girven Rd development was not, in his view, providing the affordable housing the city lacked.
The increased density of housing - from 325sq m to 155sq m - also needed to be considered, he said.
Subject to the project being granted Special Housing Area status, construction is due to commence in mid-2016.
What is a Special Housing Area?
* An area where development can be fast-tracked to quickly free up land for new homes.
* Developments do not need to be for low-cost housing, affordable housing or social housing in order to be progressed through as a Special Housing Area.
* Tauranga City Council will decide whether to agree to the request from the developer, and recommend this development as a Special Housing Area to the Minister of Housing, or to decline the request.
* The views of the community will help to inform council's decision, which will be made early next year.
