Support for Hobsonville Point housing scheme

Auckland Council is to investigate opportunities for innovative housing forms and sections sizes to enable the provision of more affordable homes in a pilot programme at Hobsonville Point.

It has been announced that 20 per cent or 500 to 600 new homes at Hobsonville Point will be sold for less than $485,000 over the coming decade.

Auckland’s Deputy Mayor says Auckland Council is working closely with the government and the Hobsonville Land Company (HLC), the developer of Hobsonville Point, to promote innovation in section size and building design.

“Hobsonville Point is a high quality development with the potential to offer commercial solutions to meet the challenge of housing availability and affordability in Auckland,” says Penny Hulse.

“The key to meeting Auckland’s future housing needs is providing a greater range of quality housing choices for people at all stages of life, and this pilot project will show the commercial viability and market appeal of smaller houses on smaller sections.

“To facilitate some of the housing types envisaged as part of Hobsonville Point’s affordable housing programme, the council is working hard to ensure that zoning and other regulations support opportunities for innovation.

“The development as a whole will add a welcome supply of new homes in Auckland’s north-west. The news that the HLC has targets of 10 per cent of homes for a market price of less than $485,000 and another 10 per cent at less than $400,000 is very welcome.”

The affordable housing targets will be indexed to inflation.

Penny Hulse says partnership between central and local government, as well as the commercial property sector, is crucial to address Auckland’s housing issues.