The Shoal Bay project, as planned. Photo / supplied
The Shoal Bay project, as planned. Photo / supplied
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Properties has begun a new North Shore project as part of its plans to develop about 350 new homes in the area.
Ngarimu Blair, a board member of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei's commercial arm, Whai Rawa, said work had started on the new Oneoneroa on Rutherford St offEversleigh Rd at Belmont, or Waioroka.
Thirteen terraced homes are planned initially but more will be built next year, he said.
The homes are rising on land once occupied by the Royal New Zealand Navy, which held the titles for around 50 years, said the ptoperty company.
Ngarimu Blair of the board. Photo / Dean Purcell
Oneoneroa is the original name for the area's Shoal Bay, Blair said.
"We have lost much of our history but the name of the bay that surrounds our development is Oneoneroa," he said, explaining how oneone meant "sand" and roa meant "long".
The name refers to the long sandspits and heaped shell banks in that part of the Waitemata.
The history of the area had influenced the development and the hapū would continue to look at ways to enhance the foreshore, said Blair.
Oneoneroa is Shoal Bay's original name. Photo / supplied
The hapū has a well-established native plant nursery at Ōrākei.
The Shore project has not pleased everyone: some residents sold homes when they realised the old Navy housing was going and what was planned. They left partly because of the intensification now underway in the Belmont/Bayswater area.
Work has already started on the site. Photo / Google Maps
Other residents are worried about increased traffic congestion, particularly on the clogged Lake Rd, said to be one of New Zealand's busiest arterial routes. Some older residents are aghast at the intensive nature of the hapū housing, have lost views and are worried about so many more people arriving on the confined peninsula.
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Properties' land holdings include four main blocks with a total land area of 20ha. Ground was broken on the first stage of the Rutherford St project late last year.
Master planning for that stage was conducted by Warren and Mahoney. Brewer Davidson Architects, Rough & Milne Landscape and Capri Construction are also working on the project.
Inside one of the planned new homes. Photo / supplied
In 2015, the Herald reported how three North Shore streets, where 82 traditional-style houses stand on big waterfront sites, are being redeveloped with more than 300 new residences off Hillary Crescent, Lowe St, Rutherford St and Eversleigh Rd.
