Approved: HMOA and Local's master plan for new subdivision of 200 new Wellington houses gets resource consent

This article by Stuff's Julie Jacobson first appeared in The Post on 22 July 2024. Read more about the project, called Jamaica Rise, here.

More than 200 homes are planned for a new subdivision in Wellington’s northern suburbs, albeit with a wary eye on the lizard population.

An independent panel on Monday approved resource consent, subject to conditions, to subdivide about 23ha hectares of greenfield land for the Jamaica Rise housing development.

One of the conditions was that before any earthworks can take place a suitably qualified native lizard expert undertakes a pre-clearance survey in case it proves a habitat for northern grass skink, Raukawa gecko, copper skink, or glossy brown skink. That’s despite a search of the Department of Conservation’s Bioweb Herpetofauna (lizard) database revealing no records within the vegetation within the development footprint.

Other conditions relate to traffic, noise, and water supply.

The company behind the development, Grenada North Nominees Limited, is an offshoot of Tauranga-based Carrus corporation, headed by Sir Paul Adams.

The mixed residential development will include 213 architecturally designed residential units, including 43 semi-detached town houses, eight three-storey apartments and two standalone dwellings, as well as new roads, public reserves and an artificial stormwater wetland.

Takapū/Northern Ward councillors Ben McNulty, John Apanowicz and Tony Randle welcomed the decision, saying it was significant for an area often considered the northern gateway to Wellington.

McNulty said the area was “absolutely ripe for investment”.

“There's been a proposed roading corridor for decades that would link Woodridge to Grenada Village then to Grenada North and this development along with council kicking off work on the Grenada North Sports Park highlights the need to see that completed so that quality bus services can be delivered,” he said.

While Apanowicz said it reflected approval of the, at times, controversial district plan which was signed off last month by Housing Minister Chris Bishop, and it was now up to the Wellington City Council to “step up and provide appropriate services and facilities” for the area.

Randle said the site was well positioned. “This is a good site, sunny, sheltered, and handy to the train. Hopefully, they will include a site for a local shop in this growing suburb.”

The regional council’s Thomas Nash has been critical of greenfield developments in the past, arguing it was ratepayers rather than developers who ended up paying for infrastructure.

However he said the medium density nature of Jamaica Rise meant those costs would be lessened.

“We just need to make sure the assessments done for these consents properly factor in the true cost of infrastructure and transport provision both now and in the future as well as the future environmental effects.

“We all pay for infrastructure and environmental work through our taxes and rates, so we need to make sure we are incentivising development of housing that gets us the best value for money for our public infrastructure dollars.”

It was expected 172 direct, and 172 indirect, full-time equivalent jobs would be created over the project’s five year construction period, with building due to start towards the end of 2025.

Grenada North is located 5 km south of Porirua’s city centre, and 13km north of Wellington city. Its western boundary is formed by State Highway 1 and Takapu Road.

Resource consent for Jamaica Rise was applied for under the since repealed Covid-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020, which provided a short-term consenting process to fast track projects that could boost employment and economic recovery.

Thanks to Local for the renders.