Overview
Waikōwhai is a culturally diverse community of over 5,000 people. The neighbourhood is a 20 minute drive from Auckland’s CBD. Its southern boundary meets the Manukau Harbour at Waikōwhai Bay.
Waīkowhai is one of the greenest suburbs in the city, with close access to bushwalks, beaches and plenty of public parks. It is home Wāikowhai Park and neighbouring Wattle Bay Reserve which together make up the largest pocket of urban native forest in Auckland City. Brimming with original fauna and flora, this precious urban gem is an Auckland taonga, which can be enjoyed by users of the 10km Waikōwhai Walkway bush and coastal track.
There are three schools in Waikōwhai itself and several more in the neighbouring suburbs. Hay Park School and Waikōwhai Intermediate are located next to each other on Richardson Road and Waikōwhai Primary is a few blocks south on Hillsborough Road. For secondary school students, Mount Roskill Grammar takes less than 10 minutes to reach by car.
An Early Opportunity
For the past 18 months, Kāinga Ora has been studying the condition of state-owned land, as well as the condition of the ground and pipes, in the Waikōwhai neighbourhood. While long-term plans have not yet been established, we have identified an early opportunity that will allow us to build 40 much needed new warm, dry state homes in Waikōwhai, beginning in 2021.
The map below shows the area where these homes will be built.
Kāinga Ora’s Tenancy Liaison Team is working closely with the affected state home tenants who will need to move. We’re discussing their housing needs and finding them suitable new homes, taking into account their ties to the local area.
Once this process is complete, we will start house removal and land remediation in those areas. Kāinga Ora’s civil works alliance, Piritahi, will carry out this work. We will continue communicating with the wider community as we progress.
