Onehunga

New housing developments and a revitalised Onehunga main street are attracting a multi-cultural cross-section of families and young professionals to this area and ensuring its on-going appeal as an upbeat, cosmopolitan home and work base.

Onehunga, with its busy coastal port, is still primarily an industrial suburb with more than 1000 retail, commercial and industrial businesses. It is on unused industrial land - known among urban developers as "urban brown space" - where intensive housing developments have been built during the past three years. Some 400 units have either been completed or are being sold off plans on both industrial and residential land. Some include a mix of residential, retail and café/tavern use, similar to that planned for the site of the old Onehunga Hotel.

Another development, in the heart of the residential area and currently selling off plans, is the 41-unit Springs Garden in Captain Springs Rd.

Larger, established homes on big properties continue to attract a wide-range of buyers into Onehunga, which officially has 53 different cultures among its loyal residents.

Among the appeal is the diverse mix of villa styles, offering long-term renovation potential in an area which, 20 years ago, was largely rental housing. Closer to Cornwall Park, homes on elevated site with views of the Manukau Harbour are among the most highly priced and are close to the Royal Oak shops, motorway access and the airport.