‘Ugly’ Auckland state housing: PR bosses lashes out at design of new development

PR boss John Boyd says these Kainga Ora homes on Manapau St in Auckland's Meadowbank look like "porta cabins". Photo / Supplied

A public relations boss has lashed out at Kāinga Ora for building a “friggin ugly” development next to his old Auckland home.

John Boyd, the founder of Boyd PR, says the two duplex homes Kāinga Ora is building at 9 Manapau St in Meadowbank look to him like “porta cabins”.

“These are the sort of things a 10-year-old would draw at school,” he said.

“It’s got no appeal, it doesn’t fit in with the area.”

“To me, it looks cheap and nasty and I think they could do a little bit better.”

Kāinga Ora said the criticism is unfair as the homes are still under construction and not yet completed.

The criticism also comes as Kāinga Ora has built thousands of homes over the past few years for Kiwis who are often among the most vulnerable and in need.

A Kainga Ora development on 9 Manipau St in Meadowbank in Auckland, as imagined by an artist once it's finished. A former neighbour has described the houses as 'friggin ugly'. Photo / Supplied

Kainga Ora said the homes are not finished yet and it is unfair to criticise them so harshly while they are still under construction. Photo / Supplied

Boyd said he supported the need for public housing and said some of the other new Kainga Ora townhouses in Meadowbank were decent.

“Over the last couple of years they have taken out a few of their traditional state houses - the bungalow type houses - and they’ve built townhouse-slash-apartments in the area and that is fine,” he said.

“They are not ever going to win any architect awards but they look ok.”

But the Manapau St development being built next to his old house was a different matter, he said.

“Everyone wants people to have housing and that’s correct,” he said.

“But it has to be something that is actually pleasing to live in.”

He said when he lived on Manapau St, the home on the other side was also state housing - a traditional bungalow build.

“Living in that house was an 80-year-old lady who’d been there 40 years and raised four kids by herself,” Boyd said.

“She looked after it, the lawns were always cut, the house was immaculate.”

“But if you move into that one that is currently being built, would you really want to look after that?”

Patrick Dougherty, Kāinga Ora’s general manager Construction and Innovation, said his team and its architect and build partners have won many awards for their designs.

They also build modern and warm homes to high standards that often include elements of their wider urban environment in the design.

“The Manapau Street redevelopment is a two-storey duplex with two three-bedroom homes and the redevelopment is in keeping with the neighbourhood’s planned suburban built character,” Dougherty said.

He said the homes are made offsite and meet Healthy Homes standards the New Zealand Green Building Council’s 6 Homestar ratings.

“We stand by the design of the homes. It’s worth noting they haven’t been completed yet, and when they are we’re sure they’ll look very appropriate and sit well amongst the architecture in the area with their modern look and design.”