Farmland's new future

NZ Herald

3 Mar, 2017 04:00 PM3 mins to read

Awakirihi Close, Northpark. Photo / Supplied

SOMERVILLE ESTATES, AWAKIRIHI CLOSE (OFF 208 WHITFORD RD), NORTHPARK

SIZE: Homes (approx) 300sqm on 400sqm of land.

ON OFFER: 10 new premium architecturally-designed stand-alone freehold homes complete or under construction. All are two-storey, five-bedroom homes with internal-access double garages on their own fenced grounds. Floor plans differ as some have a study, extra ensuites, separate laundries and most have two kitchens. All high-spec with extras such as CCTV and multiple heat pumps.

PRICE INDICATION: Starting from $1.895 million.

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 1.15pm-1.45pm or by appointment.

ON THE WEB: http://harcourts.co.nz/BH5253

SCHOOL ZONES: Shelly Park Primary School, Botany College.

CONTACT: Karen Hay or Amy-Rose Omeara, Harcourts, 021 448 191 (Karen) or 021 261 1302 (Amy-Rose).

In this era of infill housing you might've imagined the last-sold significant tract of a former historic farm that used to border Howick would have ended up crammed full of identical homes.

Way back before Botany burgeoned and Meadowlands materialised, much of the land around this area was dedicated to the Somerville farm, known as "Paparoa".

The last, nearly 5000-sq m tract lay vacant for nearly 25 years before developer Frankco Tong bought the Whitford Rd spread for $5.3m in mid-2015.

His architect, Harvey Wang of Square Tomato Architects, says: "We've designed developments of 40 apartments for land a third of this size so the outcome could have been very different if Frankco had not been so passionate about what he wanted.

"Not only did he want stand-alone premium houses on their own good-sized sections but he wanted every one of them to feel individual from each other, inside and out."

The end result will be 10 contemporary freehold homes on their own circa 400sq m fenced grounds, one already complete and others under construction, some about to be finished.

All have two-storey floor-plans of about 300sq m offering five bedrooms.

However, every layout is individual, differentiated as many have two kitchens and there are varying combinations of studies, dining rooms and family rooms bolstering their two living rooms.

All homes have at least one balcony but some boast two. The ensuite-to-bathroom ratio varies with one home having an ensuite for every bedroom.

Awakirihi Close, Northpark. Photo / Supplied

Harvey says: "There are no corners left un-designed, no areas where the thinking has been 'Well, this will do'. This is Frankco's first development and he is so passionate about it that quality and getting things right is higher in his priorities than profit.

"He really put himself in the shoes of buyers wanting the Auckland dream of owning their own, individual-feeling home."

Harvey chose key exterior materials of weatherboard, red cedar and designer series panels that have been used in different ways on the varying exteriors, sometimes accented by variations such as schist or louvres.

"Our designs were driven by the views, privacy and maximising sun, although the latter is not a big challenge when you have only 35 per cent coverage with space around each home."

To the west of the roundabout linking Whitford Rd, Point View Drive and Somerville Rd, the homes are zoned for Botany College and Shelly Park School and have views towards Whitford and Cockle Bay.

Howick Village, Meadowlands Shopping Centre and Botany Town Centre are nearby.

Each of the 10 homes around the close has an internal-access double garage and off-street park.

Frankco, whose company is Arwen Place Projects Ltd, wanted the homes to be spacious enough to accommodate a large family and to flow easily out to grounds sizeable enough to keep children amused. Having ground floor decks and upper-level balconies provides options for outdoor entertaining.

Extras include items such as live CCTV security, Rinnai gas fires and hot water, central vacuums and multiple heat pumps - seven in the first home completed.

Interiors include brands such as Miele appliances, Grohe tapware, Villeroy and Bosch bathroom ware and Hafele products in kitchens and wardrobes.

Harvey believes Frankco's commitment to quality has made this one of the most enjoyable projects Square Tomato has been involved with.