Construction on 68 KiwiBuild homes in New Plymouth yet to begin

Monday, 28 January 2019

Housing Minister Phil Twyford at November's announcement that 68 new homes would be built in Marfell as part of the KiwiBuild programme.

Two months after 68 KiwiBuild homes were announced for a neglected New Plymouth suburb at a cost of $23 million, the land remains vacant with no sign of any pending construction.

But while the city's mayor Neil Holdom is not perturbed by the lack of action in Marfell, as the build programme is still on track, councillor Shaun Biesiek says it would be unacceptable if the plans were derailed in any way.

Last November, Housing Minister Phil Twyford unveiled the plan to build on Banks St and Discovery Pl, an area crying out for development following the removal of 28 state houses in 2008.

Concept drawings for the new build in Marfell. At present, no work has begun at the site.

At the time Twyford hoped new residents would be moving in by mid-2019. Housing New Zealand (HNZ) board chair Adrienne Young-Cooper stated that work would start 'imminently' once the contract was signed off.

'You might see it as grass today but it will be earth tomorrow,' she said at the time.

Eight weeks on, nothing has happened.

* $23 million housing development for New Plymouth suburb

* KiwiBuild deposit out of reach for many Marfell residents**

New Plymouth mayor Neil Holdom, Housing New Zealand chair Adrienne Young-Cooper and Housing Minister Phil Twyford at November's announcement in Marfell.

It comes on the heels of Minister Twyford's admission that KiwiBuild will not meet its first-year target of building 1000 new houses by July 1 and would deliver about 300 homes instead.

The 1000 homes target was to be followed by 5000 homes the following year, then 10,000 the year after that.

New Plymouth councillor Shaun Biesiek says any derailment of plans to bring KiwiBuild to Marfell would be unacceptable.

While the houses have yet to materialise in New Plymouth, a KiwiBuild spokeswoman said registered interest in the city's programme had grown from 1400 to 1600.

New Plymouth mayor Neil Holdom was aware an updated site plan, and a subsequent consent, was needed before building could begin.

'My understanding of the project is they are expecting to start construction soon.'

Holdom said the project was significant to Marfell and the wider community as well as the region's construction industry, which he believed could benefit from the KiwiBuild work to the tune of $20m.

He described the KiwiBuild programme as 'ambitious' and while it might take longer than expected, it still represented a win for the city.

'I see it as a positive. If nothing else, we're going to get 68 new three or four bedroom homes built,' Holdom said.

New Plymouth councillor Shaun Biesiek said he was concerned the KiwiBuild programme was falling behind on its national target and what, if any, implications this would have on the plans for Marfell.

'As far as I am concerned we have had no communications from the Marfell project team and assume this project is full steam ahead as per the announcement,' he said in an email.

'Any deviation from this I would personally not be happy and won't accept this as Marfell has been on the back burner for a decade and does not deserve to be bumped.'