Giant New Lynn housing project now open for offers

The first West Edge homes should be ready next year.

The first round of homes in a new West Auckland housing project are up for grabs.

The 88 townhouses in New Lynn's West Edge development are being offered through expressions of interest to real estate company Bayleys. The terraced homes are among 1800 dwellings to be built on the old Crown Lynn pottery and brick-making site beside Clark St.

Each townhouse will have a balcony and off-street parking. They will be either two or three storeys high, with one or two bathrooms.

Each house will come with appliances including a stove, fridge and freezer, heat pumps, washing machine and a central vacuum system.

Prices are expected to start at $500,000 - making them potentially inviting to house-hunters struggling to buy in an Auckland market where the median selling price is now $740,000.

Bayleys projects general manager Russell Adams said demand for the area - which is deemed to be on the city fringe by those out west - had been climbing steadily.

The fact the development was close to New Lynn's amenities, which include a revamped train station and public transport hub, made it an attractive place to live.

"The West Edge development borders the existing heart of New Lynn's retail town hub, anchored by LynnMall shopping centre and supported with the full gamut of community amenities such as library, health clinics and fitness centres."

Fairly good access to a number of schools - primary and secondary - in nearby Kelston, Titirangi and Avondale was also something for potential buyers to consider.

The 12ha West Edge develoment will be built in six stages over five to six years by Avanda Ltd.

Work on the site will begin in March, with buyers able to move in by the end of next year.

West Edge is one of the biggest designer-planned developments seen in Auckland and rivals the likes of the Stonefields project near Mt Wellington and Hobsonville Point west of the city.

The area has been designated a Special Housing Area, meaning at least 10 per cent of homes must be "affordable", or priced at 75 per cent of the median selling price.