More than 2000 new homes and sites will be developed over the next three years in the first batch of 10 Special Housing Areas (SHAs) announced by Auckland Council and the government.

The areas, revealed by mayor Len Brown and minister Nick Smith in the future SHA of Huapai Triangle in Kumeu, are among the first to be announced. They will be developed under the Auckland Housing Accord, which was created by Auckland Council and the government to remedy Auckland’s housing shortage.

The first SHAs will help boost the building of affordable homes in Auckland, says mayor Len Brown.

“This is the first step in a partnership with the government that will deliver more affordable homes across Auckland in the next three years,” he says.

“We will be setting affordability criteria of up to 10 per cent minimum for each of the first lot of SHAs, but I’m actively encouraging developers to deliver even more than that where possible.

“The Housing Accord can’t and won’t solve Auckland’s housing supply problem - that needs to come from a range of factors, including monetary policy and market conditions. But it provides an opportunity to bring forward projects that may otherwise have sat on the backburner and, in particular, to secure more affordable homes for Auckland families.”

The locations for the 10 Special Housing Areas are:

Addison (250 Porchester Road, Takanini)
50 Alexander Crescent (Otara)
Anselmi Ridge (Anselmi Ridge Road, Pukekohe)
Hobsonville Catalina Precinct and Part Marine Industry Precinct
Huapai Triangle (Trig Station Road)
Flat Bush Murphys Road (Corner Murphys Road and Flat Bush School Road)
Flat Bush School Road (ACPL land)
McWhirter Block (Westgate Drive, Massey)
Orakei - Ngati Whatua (Kupe Street, Orakei)
Wesley College (Paerata Road)

These are in addition to the development earlier announced for Weymouth by Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau (the Tāmaki Collective) - Tamaki Makaurau Community Housing Ltd in a joint venture with Housing New Zealand, which would see around 280 new homes and sites created over four years.

The first batch of SHAs has the capacity for more than 5500 new homes and sites once completed.

Establishing this first group of SHAs has involved essential contributions from Watercare Services, Auckland Transport, and the council’s Stormwater and Parks and Open Spaces units, which have worked through the necessary infrastructure aspects of getting to this stage.

Anyone seeking more information can contact the council’s new Housing Project Office or call the council on 09 373 6292.