$2b-plus town centre, 2500 residences planned for Drury

The development site near Drury.

A new $2 billion-plus 2500-residence community with an entirely new town centre is being planned near Drury.

Charles Ma, the former joint managing director of Auckland's biggest CBD apartment project, Sugartree, is heading the development of Auranga to be created on a 160ha site in South Auckland.

"This will be $2b-plus project and 2500 residences will be built, from apartments to stand-alone homes, ranging in price from $585,000 to $1.5m," the Shortland St-based Ma said.

Sugartree, between Union St and Nelson St, is now being completed and will have 686 apartments when it is finished, Ma said.

Land purchases for Auranga amounted to $325m, he said.

An initial 1350 residences were planned but other land purchases had been made and the scheme had grown to a proposed 2500 residences, Ma said.

Some of the land is already zoned for the project but other parts are not and a planning application is with Auckland Council, Ma said.

The site lies on the inner reaches of Manukau Harbour's Pahurehure Inlet, west of Drury village and Ma said 29.3ha of earthworks are now underway. Part of the land - an 84.6ha slice - has been zoned a Special Housing Area.

Resource consents have also been approved for about 400 residences and the civil construction contract has been awarded for the first stage, he said. The first titles are due to be issued later next year or in 2019, Ma said.

The civil engineer in his 20s has a degree from Auckland University and is chief executive of Made - Ma Development Enterprises - and chief executive of Auranga.

Last month, the Herald reported Drury was set to receive a major upgrade, with over $2 billion of infrastructure and developments planned. The more than $2b of public and private investment will be committed over the next 10 years.

Ma said Auranga was on the same scale as Hobsonville Point and had some similarities.

He cited wide footpaths and design features to minimise cars in residential locations.

Residential, commercial and retail uses were envisaged including a new village centre, school, retirement village and many hectares of public land, he said. The number of new shops was undecided, he said.

Auranga's location in relation to the CBD.

Although the site is far from the city's CBD, many new residents of Auranga will work in the area, he predicted. The scheme would take about a decade to complete.

Companies Office records showed Auranga's two shareholders are Ma with two shares and Made Group with 98 shares.