Work to redevelop the elder housing village on Heron Crescent in Katikati is underway.
The project to redevelop the village, which is more than 40 years old, will see the existing 11 units replaced with a set of new modern units, with final designs to be decided by the community's elected members.
The project, led by Western Bay of Plenty District Council, is the second recent elder housing development in Katikati with tenants moving into seven new units built at Beach Rd earlier this year.
While final plans for Heron Crescent, including the number of units to be built, are still to be considered and approved by elected members, Council has began initial earthworks so elder housing tenants can be settled in the new units as soon as possible.
Site preparation
Site preparation earthworks began mid-February and include removing existing units, building a new retaining wall between the site and Diggelmann Park, remedying drainage issues and building preparation.
Majority of funding for the Heron Crescent project comes from $5.34m of the Government's ‘Better Off' funding allocated via the Three Waters Reform Package, approved late-2022.
'Affordable housing for older people is a key area of concern in our district – need is increasing, and supply is very limited. At the moment Katikati's housing stock of mostly three and four bedroom homes doesn't fit the needs of our older population who typically want to downsize,” says council CEO John Holyoake.
Backed by community
'Providing affordable housing especially for older people often means they can stay in their local community, and continue to contribute to the strong social networks and proactive community that makes Katikati so special.”
Latest figures show 30 per cent of people living in Katikati are aged above 70, and most of these people are on an annual income of less than $50,000 – this is 58 per cent of all households.
The move to support our elder community by retaining and redeveloping our elder housing was backed by the community via 88 per cent in support through the Long Term Plan 2021-2031.
'We're now acting on this support with an increase to the number of units to occupy the Heron Crescent site.”