Work is under way on new homes for the homeless on land on the corner of Ranolf St and Malfroy Rd.
A Rotorua site vacant for 30 years could host new homes for the city's homeless from as early as this month, with some tenants moving in from the middle of the year.
Site work is under way at the corner of Malfroy Rd and Ranolf St including earthworks, installing services,fencing and landscaping.
A total of 37 houses were being made off-site. They will be put on the 2ha block of land, with the first of the homes expected to arrive later this month. All homes should be finished by the middle of the year.
A concept image of the development. Photo / Supplied
The development is the first of two big housing projects announced for vacant land in Rotorua with the aim of helping to ease Rotorua's housing crisis. The other is a development in Pukehangi off Collie Dr.
Work is under way on new homes for the homeless on land on the corner of Ranolf St and Malfroy Rd. Photo / Andrew Warner
The second stage of the Ranolf St and Malfroy Rd project, on the north-eastern corner of the site, was looking at higher density housing.
Kāinga Ora Bay of Plenty regional director Darren Toy said the agency would continue to share more details on that once feasibility and investigations work was completed.
Kāinga Ora bought the land last year for $6.45 million after it had been vacant for 30 years.
Work is under way on new homes for the homeless on land on the corner of Ranolf St and Malfroy Rd. Photo / Andrew Warner
Tenants selected to live in the new homes will be those with the highest priority on the housing register waiting list. The most recent data had 846 priority A people on the register in Rotorua.
Toy said consideration would be given to those who had work, education and family commitments in the area.
The homes were being built in a factory offsite and would be transported to the land overnight then connected to the services. The dwellings were a mix of two, three and four-bedroom homes. They will be fully insulated with double glazing, a deck and an easy to maintain and fenced private section with a garden.
Work is under way on new homes for the homeless on land on the corner of Ranolf St and Malfroy Rd. Photo / Andrew Warner
A community room and shared green space was also part of the development, to be landscaped with shrubs, hedges and native and fruit trees.
The land was formerly owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but plans to build a church on the site never eventuated. The Voyager Resort Hotel occupied the site between 1983 and 1988 but it has remained empty since.
Meanwhile, resource consent for 37 homes as part of the Quartz Ave (formerly Collie Dr) subdivision is with the Rotorua Lakes Council with homes expected on the site by the end of the year.
The land where the Pukehangi housing development will be built. Photo / Andrew Warner
These homes were also being built offsite with preparation work expected to start on-site in the middle of the year. The first homes are due to be finished and on-site from the end of this year
Work should start on a housing redevelopment in Pukehangi by the middle of the year. Photo / Supplied
A further five homes were planned on existing Kāinga Ora land which adjoins the new development on the corner of Quartz Ave and Homedale St. These will replace three older homes and a section empty as a result of a historical fire.
The land where the Pukehangi housing development will be built. Photo / Andrew Warner
Other housing work around Rotorua includes the redevelopment of existing Kāinga Ora properties at Tania Cres, Turner Dr, Malfroy Rd, May Rd, Toru St and Island View Rd, with 21 homes currently under way.
The first of these homes which were being built on-site were expected to be finished in the mid-year – subject to the availability of materials.
A further three sites were also expected to get under way this year, with 14 new homes planned to start construction following consents.
"I'm pleased with the progress we've been making to quickly provide more new warm and dry homes for people in Rotorua most in need of a place to call home," Toy said.
"The innovative use of offsite manufactured homes, alongside our excellent build partners means people will be starting to move into the first of these from the middle of this year."
He said Kāinga Ora was looking to buy, lease or go into partnership with others to get more housing opportunities.
New houses at a glance 37 - Ranolf and Malfroy development 37 - Quartz Ave (Pukehangi) 5 - Replacing 3 homes on Quart Ave/Homedale St 21 - Redeveloping existing sites' properties 14 - New homes on new sites.
