Waipā smashes records in building boom
New data released this week shows Waipā District Council received eight new building consent applications every day over the last quarter*; a record-breaking high for Waipā.
Group manager district growth and regulatory services Wayne Allansaid Waipā’s building boom was soaring to new heights.
“Our team has performed well under pressure despite challenges with staff shortages, COVID-19 and more consents than ever to process,” he said.
Applications for 513 buildings around Waipā were processed from January to March 2022. The planned construction activity was valued at around $141 million with a mix of commercial and residential builds.
Waipā is experiencing strong demand for residential and industrial areas. Planned growth areas are continuing at pace and developers are working closely with Council on infrastructure and the provision of parks and reserves, Allan said.
Kakepuku, Maungatautari and Pirongia areas experienced the district’s biggest increase in new house dwellings with 64 houses built during the three month period.
“Our projections show this trajectory of building activity will continue for some time across the whole district.”
“But much of the growth we are experiencing is being driven by construction in the commercial sector. There are a lot of new retirement developments popping up across the district. This accounts for a large percentage of our more complex commercial work in the consenting space.”
In 2019, 155 commercial building consents were submitted to Council. Despite the pandemic and lockdowns, this increased to 203 in 2020 and 213 in 2021. Allan is expecting 230+ commercial consents by December 2022. A number of high-profile commercial building consent applications are at different stages of approval, including retirement villages, office spaces, warehouses and commercial units.
The Airport precinct Titanium Park is becoming a significant business hub for light industrial activity in the
Waipā district. It hosts a number of local, national and international businesses. A further Private Plan Change is currently being processed which includes master planning for the Northern Precinct which is the next stage. This will potentially bring a further 90 hectares, meaning a total of 130ha of Airport business land will be available north of the Airport for light industrial and business opportunities.
Waipā District Council’s 10 year plan aims to support future growth in the community. Over the next decade, more than $120 million will be spent on upgrading three water infrastructure and more than $274 million on roads and footpaths.
*average per day based on quarterly figures
