Development of 950 homes on old Waipukurau Hospital site back on track, mayor worries plans don’t reflect identity

This 2011 photo was taken before the demolition of derelict buildings at the old Waipukurau Hospital site in Central Hawke's Bay. There's now a plan for 950 homes on the land in and around it.

A plan to build a 950-home development in a Central Hawke’s Bay town has the backing of the council, but the mayor has concerns the plans don’t reflect the district’s identity.

The Waipukurau South Growth Precinct project plans to build homes on 50-plus hectares of privately owned land, known as the old Waipukurau Hospital site, during the next 20 years.

Central Hawke’s Bay District Council group manager of strategic planning and development Dylan Muggeridge updated the council on progress at its meeting, saying the project was back on track after the cyclone delayed plans.

The council received $10.9 million of Crown funding towards the project through the Infrastructure Acceleration Fund administered by Kāinga Ora.

The Crown funding will contribute to building the infrastructure with the rest paid for by developers through development contributions and by the council, from funds set aside for infrastructure improvements in the area in the three-year plan.

Central Hawke’s Bay District Mayor Alex Walker said she was excited to see the project moving forward.

“It’s exciting. I can’t wait to see those stormwater ponds finished so we can show the community and have them touch and feel what’s going on down there because I think that’s what we need to do,” she said.

“It’s a real opportunity for us to reconnect with our community about how we walk alongside and do things together and I think that’s a big part of the opportunity from this,” she said.

However, she said at this stage the plans didn’t “show our identity as a district”.

The Waipukurau South Growth Precinct project draft plan aims to build about 950 homes on the old Waipukurau Hospital site.

Muggeridge said they had been working closely with landowners in the area to understand the aspirations for their land and to make sure they could work in partnership with those who want to subdivide their sections.

The area is made up of several land holdings in private ownership.

There are two developments to the south of the precinct, one being consented and the other undergoing consent.

Land Information New Zealand owns the blocks to the north that the council has been working with Tamatea Pokai Whenua Trust (the Settlement Trust for Tamatea and Heretaunga) on, alongside Sunpark Developments, which owns the hospital site.

Muggeridge said they had talked with developers about ensuring people knew where the project was at and when the infrastructure might be built.

“There has been discussion about bringing in a retirement village-type of facility or an aged care facility in the future.

“There will be a dedicated webpage so the community can see what’s happening and provide feedback.”

He said construction of the two first stormwater retention ponds was nearly finished and would allow further development in the area.

Council papers say the project is critical in shaping its future growth in Central Hawke’s Bay and Waipukurau in particular.

Population projections from 2023 indicated under a medium growth scenario, the population in the district could increase by 4000 by the first half of the next decade and could double to reach 30,000 by 2053, the papers say.

The council has signed Housing Outcome Agreements with three developers in the area. The Housing Outcome Agreements are tripartite agreements between the council, the Crown (through Kāinga Ora) and developers.

One of the developers has been granted subdivision consent for the development of 17 lots off Leeton Drive. It has also received another resource consent application for a subdivision in the Southern part of area A.

The council would be updated again in six months.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.