Family connection recognised in new Frimley housing development

Greenstone Land Developments director Barry O'Sullivan, Gordon Mckay, Stephen Mckay, Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst and Marie Mckay with the new street sign. Photo/Paul Taylor

A family's half-century connection to Hastings' Frimley suburb has been marked with the naming of two of the city's newest streets.

Although a 4-hectare property in Lyndhurst Road, Frimley, formerly owned by the Mckay family, is now part of a new residential development, developers Greenstone Land Developments were still keen to ensure the family retained a connection by naming the entrance to the subdivision as Mckay Close.

The naming, which took place at a special ceremony last week, was a humbling and nostalgic experience for 92-year-old Marie Mckay, who used to live on the site with husband Philip and their three children Gordon, Stephen and Philippa.

"I don't like the limelight and this comes as bit of a surprise", she said.

"We bought the land in the early 50s and is was pretty much out in the sticks, we were surrounded by farms and orchards."

The family home, a century old villa, has also had its history recorded by being named after a connecting road in the subdivision.

The road has been named Drovers Way as prior to the Mckays purchasing the land and home in the 1950s it was used by the previous owners, the Williams Family, as the main drovers (stockman) cottage for the farm from the late 1800s.

Greenstone Land Developments director Barry O'Sullivan researched the history of the area for potential street names and came across the Mckay family's links to the area.

"We then approached Mrs Mckay and then spoke to her grandchildren, who were delighted that the family name would be recognised.

"The timing was perfect as council had requested road name options and we thought it was appropriate to put forward both the Mckay family name as well as something that connects the area to the cottage that was used by the main drovers (stockman) for the Williams family, who were large land owners.

Overall, the Lyndhurst Rd development would develop a total of 180 sections in 13 stages over the next two years.

Project manager Tim Wilkins said the subdivision had progressed extremely well with services and infrastructure completed for five stages already sold, and plans underway to release new sections later this year.

"We've been buoyed by the demand for sites with over 60 already sold and we hope to now fast track the next stage of 50 sections.

"We've been working hard with council staff and contractors to get services and access underway, so that property owners and their builders can get underway with their homes.

"It's been a great team effort."

Construction on the first house within the subdivision was already underway.

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said she was pleased the Mckay family was receiving recognition.

"This is a lovely way to cement their long-held connection to the Lyndhurst Rd area in Frimley.

"The council is really pleased to see Greenstone Land Developments (GLD) opening up further sites when there is such a strong demand for more sections in Hastings."

The Mayor said the development was the result of a positive collaboration with GLD to get much needed housing onto the market for the community.