ON OFFER:
Ninety-nine homes in the first stage, including a range of three-, four- and five bedroom two-level terraced houses from seven different plans.
Off-street parking, with single internal access garages in larger homes, freehold titles and brick and weatherboard construction.
On a flat site 12km from Auckland’s CBD and just a couple of minutes to the motorway, train stations and Sylvia Park. Sizes range from 99sq m through to 152sq m.
PRICE INDICATION:
Three bedrooms from $760,000; four bedrooms from $875,000; and five bedrooms from $955,000.
INSPECT:
Display suite at 33 Panama Rd, Mt Wellington, open daily from 10am-2pm and Thursdays 5pm-7pm.
RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION:
Levies of between $800 and $1100 a year.
CONTACT:
Trent Quinton, Julie Prince or Harry Cheng, Bayleys, 021 894 070 (Trent), 021 894 071 (Julie), 021 230 6877 (Harry).
PRICE:
Three bedrooms from $760,000; four bedrooms from $875,000; and five bedrooms from $955,000.
All too often, the landscaping of a new development can seem to take second place to the construction of the homes.
But that's not the case at Richmond, a planned community which will provide up to 700 terraced homes in Mt Wellington over the next three to five years.
Just as much thought has gone into the grounds as the buildings, says landscaper Lloyd Atherfold.
"We've spent a lot of time thinking through every single detail," he says. "This is the most planted development I have ever done -- often there are just lawns and a smattering of plants but here we have planted everything and really put the emphasis on quality."
Attention to detail is evident by the planning of features such as two pocket parks that will provide green space for residents in the first stage of the development. They are designed around the history of the Panama Rd site, and have different themes.
The first pocket park celebrates the way Maori used the location as a passage between two harbours, so there is a sense of arrival. Along with native and tropical plants in vibrant colours to depict our South Pacific location, there's also a wall that resembles a waka.
"It is high at one end and low at the other, and skewed forward like a rhombus, looking forward to a point of interest," says Lloyd.
The second pocket park will reference the area's fertile soil and history of food production -- it was the location of many kumara pits in the early days.
"There is an avenue of fruit trees, herb gardens and rosemary hedges," says Lloyd, pointing out that it will have more of a "colonial" feel than the first park.
Richmond is being built in several stages on a 10.5ha site by development company Wilshire Group, with the first homes due for completion in March. The two-level terraced houses all have their own private back gardens but there will also be lots of green space, including about seven pocket parks in total when the whole development is finished.
Image 1 of 7: Much thought and care has gone into the surroundings of this development.
The parks have been planned so that areas where children are likely to want to kick a ball around are away from the adjacent road.
More than 370 trees and 14,000 plants will be planted in the first stage, with natives, including pohutukawa, titoki and koikoi, planted in the streets. Some stately pohutukawa already there will remain.
The landscaping of the site, which used to be a plant nursery, is based on Maori design principles, known as Te Aranga, which are designed to promote sustainability and respect for the environment, but also encourage community spirit.
Te Aranga principles include protecting cultural landscapes to deepen our sense of place and belonging, and producing designs that encourage people to connect with each other and be hospitable.
That's why the front of the houses have an open garden area, for example, and are not hidden behind high fences.
General manager of development Mark Peldmanis says: "We want people to be able to easily chat to their neighbours. We really want to have a strong community feeling, and making it easy get to know the people who live around you is one of the best ways of doing that.
"I read somewhere that 70 per cent of people feel happier when they know their neighbours. I think it also makes you feel more secure."
Each house in Richmond will have its own fruit tree, and the owners get to choose the type they'd like. "That's another way of getting people to interact," says Mark.
As landscaping work starts on the houses, the owners will be invited to a planting day, where they can plant the tree they've chosen in a pre-dug hole. This again adheres to the Te Aranga principles by giving the owners a personal connection to the environment around them.
And with sustainability in mind, there will be communal green waste bins and worm farms where residents can get rid of their food scraps.
A residents' association will be formed that will be responsible for most the landscaping, right up to front doorsteps.
"So if you've got a neighbour who doesn't have a green thumb, their place will still be looking as top-notch as everyone else's," says Mark.
