Govt hopes $136 million investment in Porirua will see 2000 new homes built

July 13, 2021
The party’s housing spokesperson Megan Woods says Labour wants to continue fixing the housing crisis.

Housing Minister Megan Woods this morning announced $136 million investment in sewerage, storm water and water storage infrastructure for Eastern Porirua to address New Zealand's growing housing crisis.

The investment, which comes from the Government's $3.8 billion Housing Acceleration Fund, is expected to result in capacity for 2000 additional houses and create up to 250 jobs, Woods said in a statement.

She called today's announcement "a key milestone in the Government's plan to address the housing crisis".

"This is a win-win investment. We're addressing decades of under-investment in water infrastructure by replacing crumbling old pipes and unleashing the potential to build thousands of new homes in the process."

The infrastructure upgrade work would be carried out by the Te Aranga Alliance of construction and infrastructure experts Higgins, Goodmans, Beca, Harrison Grierson, Fletcher, Brian Perry Civil and Orogen.

Woods said so far Te Aranga was about halfway through the demolition of 70 old, state homes that are past their best. She said it would make way for more new warm, dry and healthy homes.

"This $136 million investment will be of major significance to the people of Eastern Porirua, delivering crucial upgrades to wastewater infrastructure and the building of a new drinking water reservoir needed to get new housing consented.

"Funding will also be used to address land remediation and development work around Cannons Creek which, together with the water infrastructure, will provide additional capacity for another 2000 homes on private and Government-owned land."

The funding is the first drawdown from the Housing Acceleration Fund, earmarked for a large scale project, which comes from the unallocated portion of the $3.8 billion announced in March.

SHARE ME

More Stories