Housing NZ gears up for mammoth building project

Housing New Zealand is gearing up to build more than 2400 new homes in Auckland in the next five years, including blocks of up to 125 apartments.

The Government announced in June last year it would build 3000 new state house rental and community homes and of those 2400 would be in Auckland.

Housing New Zealand is now asking for registrations of interest from building companies.

If the companies made it through the selection process they would be eligible to tender for the new housing stock on a project by project basis, Housing New Zealand said.

The new housing stock would include stand alone houses, terraced housing and apartments ranging in size from 10 to 125 units, Housing New Zealand said in an advertisement seeking the registrations of interest which close on August 22.

The priority waiting list for people wanting to get into homes in the Auckland region was 3150 last year when the package was announced.

Housing minister Steve Maharey said then that Auckland was facing a significant housing shortage due to its rapid population growth and the availability of land.

Nearly half of the new homes, 1135, will be built in south Auckland with west and north Auckland getting 567, and central Auckland getting 704.

- NZPA