Tauranga City Council’s Plan Change 26 was designed to encourage housing intensification and reduce urban sprawl. Completed in a highly sought‑after location opposite Tauranga Boys’ College, this development has become an early example of the infill housing now increasingly occurring across the city.
The design features eight two-storied townhouses built over a 1012m² site. Striking a balance between density and good urban design is becoming increasingly important. Vitruvius contributed to this by assessing potential flood levels and determining what impact it would have on the finished floor levels and the HIRB (Height In Relation to Boundary) envelope so design work could proceed.
Mitigating the effects of on-site ponding during large rainfall events was another challenge, along with stormwater discharge. Our civil engineering team came up with an appropriate design which involved installing a large underground soakage tank beneath a new carpark on site.
Unlike most developments of this type, the client opted for freehold rather than unit title. Our surveyors worked with the client and their legal team to create scheme plans which provided some interesting surveying challenges.
Across the board we came up with solutions that satisfied both our client and Tauranga City Council.
Project: 8 Freehold Unit Development at 422 Devonport Road
Client: Lighthouse Property Group Limited
When: 2021 – 2023
Vitruvius Scope: Survey, Civil Engineering Design, Management, Surveillance and Quality Assurance (MSQA), Land Transfer Survey.