Grace Rd project gets off ground

Prime waterview real estate on the site of the former Norfolk Hospital on Grace Rd has been divided into sections and is to be released for sale later this year.
Tauranga-based developer Grace Rd Trust has divided the 11,779sqm site, which includes 17 protected trees, into 17 lots.
Michael Webb-Speight of Grace Rd Trust said the group bought the site for an undisclosed price in October last year, and began demolition work in November.
All of the sections have a harbour view, and will vary in size from 334sqm to 600sqm, with most measuring 400sqm.
The sites at the development, which will be known as Norfolk Grace, will be sold as a combination of house and section, and section only.
Mr Webb-Speight said the first house was currently being assessed for consent and would be built by Classic Homes to "set the tone" for the development.
"We think that in the current market, houses will be selling for $760,000-$800,000."
The site development has been challenging because of its protected trees and the fact it is a Maori pa site. An archeological excavation was conducted.
Mr Webb-Speight said the protected trees - which include pohutukawa, Norfolk pine, English oak, Bunya pine and Lawson cyprus - were the highlight of the site.
"We felt the trees were the best part of everything," he said.
"The lighting is all about the trees. The lighting will be straight out of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, with big, old lanterns."
Norfolk Grace will include a shared central driveway leading into the development, as well as a petanque court and barbecue to foster a "neighbourhood community feel", Mr Webb-Speight said.
The entrance to two of the houses will be off 13th Ave, three off 14th Ave and the remainder from Grace Rd.
The sites were due to be released later this month but wet weather has delayed progress. It will be marketed by Owen Phelps and Carol Freebairn of Eves Realty Greerton office.
Mr Phelps said it was rare to have prime waterview sections available in the area.
The site has been the cause of controversy since the hospital closed in 2007. In 2009, Auckland-based developer Grande Pacific NZ planned to build 111 apartments in its three-level lifestyle retirement resort on the site.
The proposal attracted strong opposition from neighbours, who formed the Grace Road and Neighbourhood Residents Association.
In September 2009, Grande Pacific NZ later shelved the plans, with the intention of selling the land, which had an estimated value of $3 million at the time.
Association spokesman Peter McKinlay told the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend the new development seemed preferable to the previous plan "on the face of it".
"A lot depends on the quality of the design, how they are integrated. You can do 17 [houses] in a very attractive way or alternatively you can make a real mess of it."