21 Dec 2018

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One hundred and fifty affordable homes will be built on a prime Madras Street site under an innovative and environmentally-friendly development proposal approved by Ōtākaro Limited.

The Crown rebuild company has announced it has chosen the Ōtautahi Urban Guild as the preferred developer for the 8000 square metre site bounded by Madras, Gloucester and Armagh streets.

A concept drawing of the planned co-housing development.

A concept drawing of the planned co-housing development.

The site was previously earmarked for the Breathe Urban Village, but that project was abandoned in 2015 so in July this year Ōtākaro Limited called for developers with housing proposals for the land to come forward.

“We believe the Ōtautahi Urban Guild’s plan for a 150-home co-housing development with a focus on sustainability and communal spaces is innovative and will broaden the appeal of living in the central city,” says Ōtākaro Limited Chief Executive John Bridgman.

The Ōtautahi Urban Guild is a joint venture between Ohu, Viva, Urban Apostles, and Matapopore.

Guild spokesperson James Stewart says the development will have a focus on building a community in the central city with homes at an affordable price point.

“These developments will be delivered at cost, aiming for 10 to 20 per cent below comparable homes on the market. We plan a collaborative project with potential residents and the Guild involved in the development of the design and fit-out of their home.

“Our focus will be on utilising sustainable and carbon neutral materials that reduce both the upfront and ongoing cost of the home,’’ Mr Stewart says.

“This will be an exciting place to live with many shared facilities such as community-owned solar, an embedded energy network, bike and car sharing facilities planned in the development.”

The Ōtautahi Urban Guild will begin marketing the development in the new year, with the aim of signing up prospective home owners.

Ōtautahi Urban Guild is made up of:

  • Ohu – the Office of Holistic Urbanism based in Christchurch and will be the lead of the project. 
  • Urban Apostles is a development and consulting services business specialising in deliberative housing models for cities.  Its work focuses on the intersection of the sharing economy and the art of city making.
  • The Viva Project which has an aspiration to create vibrant urban villages, innovative and inspiring examples of sustainable design and connected community.
  • Matapopore Charitable Trust is breaking new ground as a first for indigenous cultures to influence the design of a city and to ensure traditional values are woven into its urban environment.