More elderly units planned for Katikati

Initial concept designs for the new build include three two-storey blocks of units.

All going to plan, a total of 26 units, fully accessible and custom-designed for people aged 65 and over, will be built at Heron Cres in Katikati.

Western Bay of Plenty district councillors have endorsed initial plans that include three two-storey blocks of units with different layouts to suit older single people and couples.

The tentative 26-unit development will see 15 additional units, in addition to replacing the 11 existing 40-year-old units that were recently removed.

This early stamp of approval from the council is an important step towards the final design and gives the council team the green light to press on with existing funding applications and a resource consent application. Councillors will have the final say on the contract for the build, to be signed off prior to work beginning in February 2024 at the earliest.

The initial concept design includes:

• A block of 10 two-storey units, with five units on each floor;
• A block of 12 two-storey units, with six units on each floor;
• A block of four two-storey, two-bedroom townhouses.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council CEO John Holyoake says by upscaling, they’re seizing a special opportunity to do more for the community, and ensure they get as much value out of the land as possible.

“The elder housing village site on Heron Crescent is a prime location. A quarter-hectare of medium-density residential zoned land, in a fantastic location close to town and the lovely Diggelmann Park. It’s an ideal central spot for our older people who need easy access to services.

“We want to make the most of the site and help as many people as we can into warm, modern, affordable accommodation.”

The final number of units will depend on the council being successful in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development’s (MHUD) Affordable Housing Fund when it’s announced in September 2023.

MHUD’s Affordable Housing Fund is only available for affordable rental accommodation, where a minimum of 10 dwellings are to be provided (social housing isn’t eligible). Plans to provide affordable rental accommodation for people aged 65 and over with limited financial means fit the criteria well.

If the council’s application isn’t successful, the design and resource consent will be varied as needed to fit the existing budget. Costs will not be passed on to ratepayers.

The council has also allocated $4.6 million of its Better Off Funding to support this project, so that the development goes ahead in some shape, no matter the Affordable Housing Fund outcome.

“We’ve got our fingers crossed on the funding front and while we wait to hear, we have a lot of work to do on the detailed design so we’re ready to apply for a building consent and appoint a building contractor when the time comes,” John says.

“We will be working closely with the existing tenants on this project, too. We want their input on what works well now and what they’d like to see in a new development. The most important thing is that the final design works for the people who’ll be calling these new units home.”

For anyone else interested in the project, a community information session is being planned for May in Katikati. The council team will be on-hand to explain what the plans are, and what residents can expect. More details on this session will be released shortly.

Statistics on Katikati’s population and housing needs

Katikati has the most people over 70 years old of all the towns in the Western Bay, according to Stats NZ’s population estimations.

The ‘seniors’ age bracket (70-84 years) makes up 25 per cent of the population, with a further 5 per cent of the population over the age of 85.

Around 64 per cent of all households in Katikati are either ‘couple-only’ or ‘single-person’ households. 58 per cent of all households have an annual income of less than $50,000.

Current housing stock in Katikati is ‘mismatched’ to household type, and also to needs. 19 per cent of the total housing stock is one and two-bedroom dwellings. Of the new dwellings consented since July 2018, around 85 per cent have been three or four-bedroom homes.

Through the Long Term Plan 2021-31, the Western Bay community opted to retain and redevelop the elder housing stock, with 88 per cent of feedback in support.