Kāinga Ora buys 1.6-hectare plot in Aramoho, Whanganui, for housing

Kāinga Ora Homes and Communities have purchased a plot of land on Kaikokopu Rd in Whanganui for housing development. Photo / Bevan Conley

Kāinga Ora Homes and Communities has bought land in Aramoho to help meet the urgent need for more homes for Whanganui families.

The 1.6-hectare plot at 63 Kaikokopu Rd sold for $2 million.

Kāinga Ora regional developer for Taranaki, Whanganui and Manawatū Graeme Broderick said the the need for housing has increased steadily over the years in Whanganui.

“We are so pleased that through this land purchase, we will be able to provide a place to call home for so many families.”

Plans for the number and types of homes to be built on the site are still to be finalised, but Broderick said the site could be developed for medium-density public housing and expected it would offer a range of different-sized homes.

“Once initial high-level concept plans for the site have been developed, we will share these with the community,” he said.

The former owners are doing the civil and infrastructure works to prepare the land for development and to mitigate stormwater risks.

Broderick said Kāinga Ora had done a thorough due diligence process to ensure robust engineering and infrastructure mitigations are in place to manage potential flood risks.

“We have worked closely with local councils through this process, and it is a condition of the Resource Consents that the design and infrastructure work will be suitable to manage stormwater both from the site itself and the wider catchment.”

In addition to working with local authorities on managing stormwater and flood risks, significant Kāinga Ora projects have to do a climate change risk assessment during planning.

The assessment includes exposure and vulnerability to flooding and mitigating actions for all highly rated risks.

Work is already under way on multiple other Kāinga Ora developments planned for Whanganui East, Gonville and Tawhero.

The current plan, as shared with the community last year for feedback, is to build around 158 homes across the various sites.

Broderick said Kāinga Ora would work closely with the Whanganui District Council, iwi, and other key stakeholders on progressing the plans, and how to support the communities where the homes will be built.