Funding from Kainga Ora’s Infrastructure Acceleration Fund (IAF) will fund infrastructure to support more than 400 new homes in Kaikoura, including housing for the elderly and those on low to medium incomes.
Housing is planned across two different sites - a proposed new sub-division in the town, Vicarage Views, and Ocean Ridge, south of Kaikoura.
The project is one of seven around the country which secured Government funding announced by Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods on Thursday, July 21.
Kaikoura Mayor Craig Mackle said the project will help to fill a gap in modern, low to medium income housing and elderly housing units.
‘‘The funding from the IAF is a potential game changer to help address this need within our housing stock - both now and into the future.’’
It will support new roading, footpaths and cycleways to connect the two sub-divisions and the town.
Mr Mackle said the council had been working closely with Ocean Ridge developer Garry Robertson on the proposed 83 home Vicarage Views sub-division on the former North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery Alliance (NCTIR) village site, near Ludstone Road.
It is subject to a resource consent, while a plan change will be needed for a proposed Ocean Ridge expansion.
The infrastructure upgrades are expected to begin over the next 12 months, with the first IAF-enabled houses planned to be built next year.
Stage one comprised 43 modern homes, including 20 elderly housing units, which would qualify for the Government’s First Home Grant House Price Cap scheme.
To support stage one, infrastructure will include a footpath connecting Vicarage Views to schools on Ludstone Road and the town centre, and the initial stages of a cycle way from Ludstone Road to Ocean Ridge, via Green Lane.
The sealing and upgrading of Green Lane, a new rail crossing and a further extension of the cycle way were also planned.
Later stages of the project will involve river protection works and an upgrade to the council’s three waters infrastructure to enable additional homes in the Ocean Ridge sub-division.
Dr Woods said the fund was set up to jump-start housing developments by funding the necessary services, like roads and pipelines to homes, which would otherwise hold up development.
-By David Hill
Local Democracy Reporter
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