Call us today The land is of profound cultural and intergenerational significance. As whenua returned through settlement, it carries both responsibility and opportunity – to restore the mauri of the landscape while establishing a sustainable economic foundation for current and future generations.
From the outset, meaningful planning began with understanding the past. A Cultural Masterplan, anchored in the whakataukī Kia tuupato ki te remu o taku kahu – “Beware the hem of my cloak” – established the values of kaitiakitanga, manaakitanga, rangatiratanga, auaha, and taurikuratanga as the foundation for every decision. Rather than sitting alongside the statutory framework, this cultural lens shaped the deliberate application of planning tools from inception through to consent.
A defining aspect of the project’s planning approach was the early and strategic identification of the appropriate statutory pathway. Progressed as a Listed Project under Schedule 2 of the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024, the proposal moved from concept design to consent approval within ten months – reflecting strong upfront planning, clarity of scope, and a highly coordinated multidisciplinary approach, while maintaining full assessment rigour.
Rangitoopuni will deliver a carefully master-planned community and re-cloaking of more than 220 hectares of pine plantation into indigenous forest, wetlands and riparian corridors. It exemplifies how statutory planning can operate as an enabling tool- aligning Treaty settlement intent, iwi leadership, and regulatory frameworks to deliver culturally grounded, environmentally restorative, and regionally significant outcomes.
And it is the hem of the cloak – extending protection, care, and opportunity to those who come next.
Click play to find out more and watch a short video about the project.
We obtained non-notified resource consent for the comprehensive development and subdivision to construct twenty-nine new dwellings in six separate terraced blocks. The dwellings comprise a mix of seven two-bedroom and twenty-two three-bedroom units in a mix of housing typologies.
The design of the buildings is in keeping with other developments in the NZ Foundation portfolio, while providing a unique response to the site.
Many of the units provide a direct interface to the surrounding street with a strong contribution to the local community through excellent design, quality and affordability.
The building exceeds a Height Variation Control that reduces the height otherwise enabled in the Mixed-Use zone, as a result of a boundary to a Special Character Area.
This quality building is located on the corner of New Street and College Hill, providing an ideal location for a statement architectural design that we are sure will make a positive contribution to the surrounding area. The project benefits from its proximity to the CBD and the Three Lamps / Ponsonby Road areas, allowing for a highly efficient use of the site to provide a range of apartments (including an exceptional penthouse with an incredible view) in a location supported by a large range of amenities and services.
Thank you to Mark Cooper at Lighthouse Property for supplying the images.
The approved development achieves a significant milestone for Te Runanganui o Ngati Porou by enabling them to support their whanau on their whenua through providing long-term housing options centred around a shared community space within close proximity to existing support services on the site. A range of housing types and typologies are provided across the 48-dwelling scheme, including Kaumatua housing, two-storey duplexes and three-storey walk-up apartments to cater for a broad range of needs and ages. The shared community space at the centre of the proposal, in addition to extensive landscaping, and separated pedestrian paths, will further foster a vibrant and thriving residential community.
We also want to thank the consultant team from Pacific Environments, Flowpath Engineering Consultants, SJP Landscape Architect, Land Development and Engineering Consultants (LDE), Traffic Planning Consultants (TPC), Initia Geotechnical Specialists and Scope Investigations for their work on this project.
The proposal will provide a significant boost to Gisborne’s housing supply and deliver much needed homes for Te Runanganui o Ngati Porou now and into the future. We look forward to seeing this residential community come to life and the positive impact it will bring.
Thank you to Pacific Environments for supplying the render images.
The Environmental Protection Agency granted resource consent under the COVID-19 Fast Track Consenting Act for Stage 1 of the Ngongotahā Housing Development providing for 202 residential dwellings, a complex of artificial wetlands, ecological improvements to Te Toto Stream, neighbourhood park and new shared path connections to Ngongotahā Village. The project will provide a significant contribution to the housing shortage in the Rotorua Lakes District.
We worked with McKenzie & Co, BDG Architects, Greenwood Associates, Ian Munro, PDP, Commute, Puhoi Stour, SLR, CMW, Property Economics, HAIL Environmental and Geohazard Environmental.
We also worked closely with the staff at BOPRC and RLC.
We look forward to seeing this community take shape.
The development was designed to ensure the most efficient use of the land to allow for additional housing supply by providing a high quality internal and external residential environment for future residents and was constructed in a modular fashion. The site is accessed directly from Tonar Street, with onsite parking internalised behind the building.
The overall development makes a strong and positive contribution to the emerging urban form of Northcote and Lake Road itself
The village comprises three new apartment buildings providing 276 new homes with wrap-around support services, shared community, retail, and workspaces.
Te Mātāwai is designed with manaakitanga at its heart and with support and shared services for residents. A range of apartment typologies are provided to meet housing needs and the building has been designed to wrap around a communal open space area to the rear with additional rooftop shared spaces.
The buildings provide a strong and active edge to Greys Avenue with new commercial, community, and retail ground floor uses. The site is located close to the Waihorotiu Stream, and this has been woven into the design which has sought to reflect the mauri and tikanga of the wai.
The buildings are now complete and welcoming residents.
Photo Credits – Mark Scowen Photography ©
This formed part of a wider master planned development undertaken by Classic Builders at Hobsonville Point involving a range of typologies including apartments, terraces and standalone homes.
This development comprises of a new apartment building and terraced houses in Meadowbank, comprising of 90 units in total. This was a complex site with a stream feature, and various zone interfaces.
The building comprises retail on the ground floor and 117 apartments all located within close proximity to the Albany Bus Interchange.