A tangata whenua-led blessing and sod turning marked the start of construction. Photo / Supplied
A tangata whenua-led blessing and sod turning marked the start of construction. Photo / Supplied
The ground was broken this week for another major road project in Hamilton, in this case, the next stage of the Southern Links transport network in Peacocke.
Downer NZ has been awarded the contract for the project which will provide a key connection from Peacockes Road in the east to Ohaupo Road in the west.
This stage includes the next section of Whatukōruru Drive to Hall Road and upgrading a section of Peacockes Road.
Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate - who attended a tangata whenua-led blessing and sod turning - said it’s exciting to see all the activity happening in Peacocke since securing funding via the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund more than four years ago.
“This is the fourth major contract we’ve awarded in partnership with central government to deliver on our housing outcomes in Peacocke,” said Southgate.
The project is another milestone for the council that will deliver infrastructure in the right place and at the right time to enable the homes our growing city will need in the future.”
The first stage of Whatukoruru Drive was part of the new roundabout on Ohaupo Road (SH3) to provide access to a new housing development. Image / Supplied
Southgate said this project is about more than growing our city and a new road.
“Our approach to Peacocke is all about partnerships. Our partnerships with central government, tangata whenua and developers in the area have been critical to the programme’s success,” said Southgate.
Whatukōruru is the name of a significant pā site within the Peacocke area which borders the new road. The council is in the final stages of transferring the historic reserve land to Waikato-Tainui.
Naming the road after the pā site was identified early by an iwi-council partnership as an opportunity to revive original place names that have a closer relationship to the whenua (land) and reflect the area’s history.
Peacocke is not only Hamilton’s biggest investment in growth, it’s also the city’s biggest-ever investment in the environment.
Wetlands, habitat restoration and native plantings will provide recreation areas and green space along the new transport corridor as part of a wider Peacocke environmental programme that will see 15 hectares of gully restoration, around 30 wetland areas and over 100,000 new native plants.
This project will deliver around 1.3km of new transport corridor, pipes for water services, and essential services to enable new suburbs and homes. The road’s design supports the council’s vision zero target, prioritises public transport, and provides safer and more accessible streets for people walking and biking or travelling by bus or car.
The first stage of Whatukōruru Drive was built in 2021 as part of the new roundabout on Ohaupo Road (State Highway 3) to provide access to a new housing development. The remaining stage, from Hall Road to Ohaupo Road, is in the final stages of design and planning.
Work on this stage will begin in December this year and is due for completion by early 2025.
Peacocke is being built with the support of the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund, made up of a $180.3 million 10-year interest-free loan and $110.1 million of Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency subsidies.
The Peacocke programme will deliver a new bridge, a transport network that caters for public transport, pedestrians and cyclists, parks, and strategic water, wastewater and stormwater networks. Other work includes protecting and enhancing the environment, including the extensive gully system, opening the area to the Waikato River, and investigating community facilities which are also important parts of creating a new community in Peacocke.
When completed, Peacocke will be home to up to 20,000 Hamiltonians.
