The Hastings and Napier housing projects supported and snubbed by independent panel

Part of a large site off Middle Rd, Havelock North, that an independent panel recommends be earmarked for future housing. Photo / NZME

More sites should be earmarked for future housing around the wider Napier-Hastings area, an independent panel has recommended.

That panel has suggested two additional sites (totalling 63ha) with capacity for hundreds of new homes be added to a key planning document, called the Hastings-Napier Future Development Strategy (FDS).

Simply put, the FDS identifies large sites for housing and industrial growth around Napier, Hastings and Havelock North that can be developed over the next 30 years.

Formulating the FDS has been a major focus for the three participating councils – Hastings, Napier and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council – and the strategy will be finalised next month.

The initial draft strategy was released in November and identified 13 greenfield sites for future housing, with capacity for about 4000 new homes (across hundreds of hectares).

The independent panel has now recommended that it be increased to 15 sites, with capacity for more than 5000 new homes.

The panel's 15 recommended residential development areas. Photo / HDC

Hawke’s Bay Today has taken a look at five winners and losers after the independent panel’s recommendations. The recommendations will help with final decisions in June.

Winners

52ha site between Middle Rd and Te Aute Rd, Havelock North

The independent panel has recommended a 52ha site in Havelock North be added to the FDS, with capacity for 640 homes in future.

Major developer CDL Land NZ is considering a large subdivision project on that land.

Concept plans for CDL's potential subdivision. CDL does not currently own all that land and the plans are for "discussion only". Photo / HDC

The land is currently zoned Plains Production, which protects fertile soils from being developed. Concerns have been raised about protecting that land from development, which led to it being excluded from the initial draft FDS in November.

The independent panel, in recommending the site be reinstated, said it would help provide “sufficient residential capacity” to meet medium to long-term housing demand.

CDL owns “a substantial percentage of the landholdings“ across that site, a report read.

Other landowners also own properties in that 52ha area.

The site is across the road from the Iona subdivision project, also led by CDL Land.

11ha site on Wall Rd, Hastings (for 110 homes)

The independent panel has recommended an 11ha site on the edge of Hastings, off Wall Rd and next to Southland Rd, be added to the FDS.

It is made up of a handful of different land titles.

It was initially excluded from the draft strategy.

However, the panel said it would help provide “sufficient residential capacity” to meet medium to long-term housing demand.

Losers

Proposal to merge Hastings and Flaxmere

An ambitious proposal, the Heretaunga Connection Project, sought backing from the independent panel.

That proposal would merge the two urban areas of Hastings and Flaxmere into one, making room for a further 2000-2500 homes on 500ha of land between the two urban centres.

That proposal was led by developer David Colville.

However, the independent panel has not recommended the large site be included in the FDS as a residential development area.

22ha Riverbend Residential Development in Napier

A large Napier housing proposal, known as the Riverbend Residential Development, was first announced in 2021 for more than 600 homes.

The iwi-led project was on a Government list of fast-track projects but missed a crucial deadline for lodging a resource consent – placing a question mark over its future.

Initial layout plans for the large development next to Maraenui Park. Photo / Ministry for the Environment

The 22ha site next to Maraenui Park was included in the draft FDS in November, despite opposition by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council over flood risks.

The independent panel has now supported keeping it in the FDS.

However, a joint council committee met on Monday and went against that advice. The committee recommended the site be excluded from the FDS because it has “a significant flooding risk” and “is not required” for housing demand.

A final decision will be made in June, but that recommendation could result in it being removed entirely from the FDS.

The site flooded in 2020 and 2023, although reports suggest flood mitigation works could be carried out.

Ex-Te Mata Mushrooms site

A group, Vermont St Partners No 4, asked the independent panel to add the former Te Mata Mushrooms site on Brookvale Rd, Havelock North, to the FDS as a residential development area.

It would pave the way for the sprawling site to become a residential addition to Havelock North, with room for plenty of homes.

However, the independent panel has not recommended its inclusion in the FDS as a residential development area.

Next steps

Napier City Council, Hastings District Council, and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council will meet in late June and make a final decision on the make-up of the FDS, taking into account recommendations from the panel and the committee.

All three councils will need to sign off on the final FDS document for it to be adopted.

If a site is included in the final FDS document, it will be a big win for the respective developer or landowner who put a given site forward.

Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business, councils, breaking news and cyclone recovery. He formerly worked at News Corp Australia.