Set to start site work on Te Hapara housing project

End result: A computer-generated image of the Mill Road/Gladstone Road housing development. The site is to be blessed on Wednesday and building work will start soon after. The homes are expected to be finished by the middle of 2024. Image supplied

Building work on the housing project near the corner of Mill and Gladstone roads starts soon. 
“The project will deliver 21 much-needed, easy-to-maintain homes to the Te Hapara community,” Kāinga Ora East North Island acting regional director Roxanne Cribb said.
“Families and individuals will live in these homes and our aim is to create a community which is inclusive, thriving and connected.
“The site will be blessed on Wednesday and we are excited that members of the Te Hapara School community will be involved in this event.
“There has been lots of community input that has informed this project and we are happy that we are now at the stage where people passing by will see site works begin. 
“Gisborne Construction has been awarded the build contract and their first job is to erect an acoustic fence so that there is minimal noise disruption to neighbours. 
“Once the fence is up the piles of covered contaminated soil will be removed and site preparation can begin. From May, people will start to see posts in the ground and construction beginning.”
The homes will be a mixture of two-, three-, four- and one six-bedroom homes.
The low-maintenance apartments will be fully insulated, with carpets, curtains and double glazing.
“This development is a good example of Kāinga Ora making the best use of land we already own. 
“The Gladstone Road/Mill Road site is a large piece of land, close to schools, shops and transport routes.  
“It is an ideal position for many whānau. While the development will see more people living closer together than what we are used to in Gisborne, this is a model that has worked well to build supportive communities. 
It also means people will spend less time maintaining large sections of land and large homes.
A more compact lifestyle means less to do and therefore more time to enjoy other things in life.  
“The homes are expected to be completed by the middle of next year.”