Special Housing Areas unveiled

Twelve more areas in Auckland, Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty have been designated Special Housing Areas. Photo / Doug Sherring

Twelve more areas in Auckland, Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty have been designated Special Housing Areas, bringing the total to 100, says Housing Minister Nick Smith.

Special Housing Areas allow some processes involved in building homes to be fast-tracked to ease a shortage and the 12 announced yesterday cover 2000 homes.

There are four areas in Auckland, seven in Tauranga and one in Western Bay of Plenty:

• Point View Drive, East Tamaki; 50 homes, 6.3ha (Auckland).

• Beach Haven Rd, Beach Haven; 9 homes, 0.18ha (Auckland).

• Mt Eden Rd, Three Kings Quarry; 70 homes, 1.4ha (Auckland).

• Restall Rd, Woodhill; 16 homes, 24.3ha (Auckland).

• Golden Sands; 380 homes, 29.5ha (Tauranga).

• Palm Springs; 600 homes, 63ha (Tauranga).

• Nga Potiki; 210 homes, 20.7ha (Tauranga).

• Papamoa Junction; 80 homes, 8.4ha (Tauranga).

• Te Okuroa Drive/Parton Rd; 180 homes, 16.2ha (Tauranga).

• Waihi Rd; 31 homes, 0.8ha (Tauranga).

• Zariba; 250 homes, 18.4ha (Tauranga).

• Omokoroa Rd; 165 homes, 19.7ha (Western Bay of Plenty).

Dr Smith said there was still a lot of work ahead to turn the Special Housing Areas into homes.

"The subdivisions and houses will need to be designed, consented and built, but the land-zoning process which otherwise would have taken an average of three years is now being completed in a matter of weeks."