The Lotus Eco Village is all about being regenerative and communal

Signage at the front of the Lotus Eco Village in Paraparaumu. Photo / David Haxton

It was nearly 40 years ago when Eric Doornekamp bought a plot of land with the idea of creating a community house.

The first thing he did when he bought the land in Ruapehu St, Paraparaumu, which was originally a farm, was plant 10,000 kānuka trees and, soon after that, he set up the Lotus Yoga Centre and Retreat.

But as the years went by, Doornekamp and his wife Cathryn looked to the future, especially how to make the best use of the land, which is where the idea of an eco-village germinated.

Developer Simon Wallace was invited to spearhead the project when it started back in March 2017, because of his extensive experience in the property market.

Fast forward to today and the village is flourishing, consisting of 21 houses, with 40 residents, called the Lotus Eco Village.

Construction is ongoing, with an additional eight houses currently being built.

Wallace said the eco-village was quite a unique idea. “Other developments aren’t really doing it.”

Some of the new houses under construction at the Lotus Eco Village. Photo / David Haxton

Residents own their properties but pay a yearly fee to cover electricity, internet, rubbish disposal and use of shared amenities, including a community centre.

The three-storey community centre is the focal point for engagement in the village and has several activities available, including yoga classes.

There’s a huge community space on the top floor, which can fit 50-60 people, equipped with games and puzzles, a kitchen and a fireplace with a cooking top in case of power outages.

Even the mail room is a social space, with residents having a yarn with others while clearing their letterboxes.

“It’s about creating reasons for people to come to the community house,” resident Cat Hendra said.

Wallace, who is one of the village residents, said it was important to have a community space available. “Isolation and loneliness are the new smoking.”

Lotus Eco Village community house. Photo / David Haxton

There’s a large pond on site and each house has a tap connected to it so they can use pond water for gardening, which Wallace said saves money on water.

The pond has a variety of other uses as well, including stormwater management, firefighting and housing frogs, ducks and other wildlife.

The village also has a stream running through the middle of it, which is weeded and has native planting throughout.

There are even glow worms in the stream, as the residents discovered over the summer.

“We were originally told it had no ecological value,” Hendra said.

Another aspect of the eco-village is the sharing of resources, such as gardening produce.

Currently, there are several small gardens dotted throughout the village, but Hendra said there were plans for a 350-square-metre community garden.

One of the other features of the village is the huge wetland, which Hendra said was used to slow water flow.

Wetlands at the Lotus Eco Village. Photo / David Haxton

The wetland has a variety of traditional Māori medicinal plants growing on it and incorporates an existing cabbage tree cluster.

“It’s fair to say this is the centrepiece of our eco-development,” Wallace said.

There are also plans to build a village green once the new houses are built, and Hendra said a lot of the residents were looking forward to it.

Different residents had different strengths, Wallace said, which was what made it a community.

Simon Wallace with the Lotus Eco Village community house in the background. Photo / David Haxton

“Gardening’s not really my cup of tea, but that’s why you have a community.”

Hendra said: “It’s not about being sustainable, it’s about being regenerative. It’s a step beyond sustainable.”

The village is expected to be completed next year with the remaining eight houses, some of which are nearing completion, being marketed by Village Real Estate.