Recent developments such as the new transport interchange and Manukau Institute of Technology campus have further enhanced the town centre. Auckland Council owns a number of sites in the Manukau area, which Panuku will use, in partnership with private developers, to increase the housing supply in the area. There is an opportunity to create new mixed-use housing and commercial buildings, retail shops, and to improve connections around the area between homes, public spaces, public transport and the town centre.

There’s a strong desire from the local community, as outlined in the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board plan to create a thriving heart for Manukau – an attractive visitor destination, business centre and place to shop, live, learn, work and play in world-class facilities and spaces.

Some of this development is already underway including the proposed Museum of New Zealand (Te Papa Tongarewa) Manukau site; the planned Wero tourism experience which will include an artificial white water rafting course, Polynesian cultural exhibition and an art gallery; and further opportunities around Hayman Park.

Auckland Council owns a number of sites in the Manukau area, which Panuku will use, in partnership with private developers, to increase the housing supply in the area. There is an opportunity to create new mixed-use housing and commercial buildings, retail shops, and to improve connections around the area between homes, public spaces, public transport and the town centre.

Panuku will look to leverage these opportunities to transform Manukau metropolitan centre and surrounds in the following areas:

• Creation of 50-plus homes at 20 Barrowcliffe Place
• Residential or mixed housing on Manukau Station Road
• The Hayman Park area

We will also look to form a partnership with Housing New Zealand, who own a large amount of land in the area which they are looking to use to build more, and higher quality housing. We will also work with Auckland Transport, central government and the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board when creating the master plan for the area.

The Auckland Plan outlines the strategy to make Auckland the world’s most liveable city. A number of the transformational shifts required to meet this vision, such as ‘radically improve the quality of urban living’, ‘substantially raise living standards for all Aucklanders and focus on those most in need’ and ‘significantly lift Māori social and economic well-being’ can be achieved by developing locations such as Manukau metropolitan centre and surrounds.

This project also aligns closely with The Southern Initiative which is referenced in the Auckland Plan. The initiative’s purpose is to mobilise strategic and transformational social, physical and economic change in south Auckland over 30 years.

There are two Special Housing Areas (SHAs) in the Manukau metropolitan centre and surrounds that provide for the potential development of more than 800 new homes including retirement living, potential student accommodation and hotels. SHAs allow for a streamlined consenting process that allows houses to be built more quickly and with an affordable housing component, which will help ease Auckland’s housing crisis.

There is also potential under the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan, currently in the hearings phase, to add significant housing and business floorspace developments that would potentially create three times as many jobs in the area.