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A new style of housing intensification could be on the way for Auckland and Wellington, with a Christchurch developer looking to expand operations to the North Island.
Brooksfield has been building medium-density townhouses in Christchurch since 2020, gaining a cult following in the city for its “classic” heritage-inspired architecture.
Nowthe company is eyeing expansion, with director Vincent Holloway saying they’ve got offers in on potential building sites in Auckland and are looking at Wellington suburbs for future development.
Wellington City Council recently implemented its ambitious new District Plan, which enables the construction of tens of thousands of new homes, including apartments and townhouses in suburbs where they were previously effectively banned.
Holloway says it’s opened the door for Brooksfield to get started on developments in the capital and they’re currently looking to build more of their “bread and butter” 2-3 bedroom townhouse developments in central Wellington suburbs like Aro Valley.
“Now that that’s happened we want to come to Wellington because we love those areas [...] I actually think it’s really good that that’s happened.”
Brooksfield Mews in Spreydon, Christchurch.
Auckland is another city Holloway is keen to build in, with offers currently in for sites in suburbs such as Mt Albert and Grey Lynn.
The business, which was started by Holloway and his business partner Oliver Hickman, now has 500 homes completed or under construction in Christchurch.
Holloway says he gets up to 10 enquiries a week from people in Auckland and Wellington asking them to start developing in the cities, as the demand for medium-density housing like townhouses and apartments rises.
But he says many people have grown an aversion to higher-density housing because lots of new townhouses are “really harsh to look at”.
“It’s not only that they’re ugly, it’s also that they’re poorly built and they’re not very high quality.”
He says Brooksfield’s philosophy boils down to the idea that “density doesn’t need to be ugly”.
“Our biggest difference compared to everyone else in New Zealand is that we do strictly classical designs [...] it is what the people want,” Holloway said.
A Brooksfield development overlooking Waltham Park in Christchurch.
Discussion of housing intensification in recent years has been marred with debate over heritage protections versus the need for more homes, but Holloway says the reality is more nuanced.
He says many new townhouses are of low build quality and aren’t built to last compared to heritage homes. When Brooksfield started, Holloway built a number of developments with “awful” modern designs, which he now says he isn’t proud of.
“I think in an ideal world you should be able to pull down whatever you want so long as what you’re replacing it with is just as beautiful,” Holloway said.
LIVE WELLington is a pro-heritage group in the capital that campaigns for “density done well”; focused largely on protecting existing heritage areas, and “sunlight, character, and urban quality”.
Spokesperson Jane O’Loughlin says while retaining original heritage buildings is their preference, historic-style new-builds are a great alternative.
“Constructing new buildings in the style of the surrounding character is a great option to provide more flexibility in terms of height or modern amenities.
“Generally speaking, Wellingtonians are fond of the distinct character style of the inner city’s suburbs, so I’m sure they would welcome developers who offer the option of new builds that are in keeping with that character,” O’Loughlin said.
Wellington City Councillor Iona Pannett, who has been an outspoken advocate for heritage protections, said Brooksfield’s developments appear to be a better alternative to modern new builds.
“It does look better and I am really concerned about some of the rubbish that’s being built, it won’t last.
“We just need houses, they need to be built, so it’s a good thing when people are innovating,” Pannett said.
Holloway said while he was unable to put a time frame on when they’ll have things to announce in Auckland and Wellington, the company was “actively looking in both cities” and exploring sites of interest.
Ethan Manera is a multimedia journalist based in Wellington. He joined NZME in 2023 and is interested in politics, local issues, and the Public Service. Ethan is always on the lookout for a story, he can be emailed at ethan.manera@nzme.co.nz or messaged on X (formerly Twitter) @ethanjmanera
