Building bid next to old-age homes

A site bordering Kamo's Jane Mander Retirement Village could be made into 61 residential lots. Photo / Michael Cunningham

An area proving popular with Whangarei's older contingent looks set to get another 61 residential lots, if an application to subdivide an unoccupied site is successful.

The 11.5ha site, at the top of Kamo's Fairway Drive, is next door to the Jane Mander Retirement Village. Whangarei District Council's most recent Sustainable Futures 30/50 Tracking Review said growth in Kamo over the last five years was driven by aged care facilities and lifestyle sections.

Denby ward councillor John Williamson said he was aware of the proposed Fairway Drive sub-division, but did not know much about it at this stage.

"It seems to be a logical place. It's a big development and that's good to see," he said.

Proprietors Parklands - a company comprising prominent local business people - had owned the property for 35 years and at the start of March applied for resource consent to subdivide the section into 61 lots, ranging in size from about 360sq m to one 1.5ha section.

Businessman Ian Hayward was one owner and said he was not keen to discuss the plans for the site. "There's nothing to report," he said.

The site is flanked by bush to the north-east and south, with some of the surrounding land being Whangarei District Council reserve. The Jane Mander Retirement village runs along the north-western boundary.

Access would be via a new road off Fairway Drive, near the roundabout outside the village, with some properties accessed via seven right-of-ways.

The site contained some bush tracts and in the past had been used for horticulture. A soil contamination report included as part of the consent said it was highly unlikely the past use of chemicals on the site would have any impact on its future use.