Richmond development's turnaround: New technologies a focus in homes
Tuesday, 15 August 2017
The embrace of new technology is at the centre of a previously troubled Auckland housing project.
The Richmond development on the border of Otahuhu and Mt Wellington will see 600-700 homes constructed on a 10 hectare site in Panama Rd.
It features a mix of terraced housing and apartments and is being built by Wilshire Ryburn Development, a subsidiary of Wilshire Group.
Wilshire took the project over last year after former owners Panama Road Developments went into receivership.
The homes it's building, range from two-bedroom properties that will sell for prices starting at $680,000 up to five-bedroom homes that will go on the market for at least $975,000.
A couple of houses will sell for more than $1 million. Stage one of the development will feature two large pocket parks.
Work began on the project in the middle of 2016 and it's expected to take up to five years to complete.
Just under 100 homes are being built during stage one, with 40 completed and another 59 set to be finished by the end of this year.
Richmond development manager Christie Wrightson says she expects the first residents to move into their new homes in September.
The properties are double-glazed and insulated at a standard that's 'well above grade', she says.
'We've had a company called Isthmus doing the master-planning and each of the stages has a different architectural team appointed, which gives it better diversity.
'In the kitchens we've put stone benchtops and soft-shut doors and drawers.
'Everything has Smeg appliances, such as dishwashers and ovens, and we've put in induction hobs, so they're efficient.'
The development is also environmentally friendly.
'We've also done little things like eco-timers on the heated towel rails and power points for electric cars,' Wrightson says.
'All the homes have got electric car charging points.
'We felt it's something that's probably going to change in the coming years.
'Cars are advancing and it's nice to make sure our homes are future-proofed.'
Wrightson says the majority of buyers of stage-one homes plan to live in the properties.
'We tried to avoid investors in stage one because we felt having owner-occupiers will establish a better community to start with.
'We didn't want to see a property market that's very hot with people coming in and flicking homes, which would take them affordable to unaffordable.'
The development has a 'hugely diverse' range of owner-occupiers, Wrightson says.
'A lot are first-home buyers or second-home buyers who are moving from apartments and getting to the age where they're looking to have children in the next five or 10 years.
'We've had parents looking to buy homes for their children and use as a rental until they're able to move in.'