Supporting the council’s submission to the Ministry of Urban Development & Housing Affordable Housing Fund - Affordable Rental Pathway grant application.
The Challenge
The Waitaki District Council needed a clear understanding of what a high quality urban design scheme and it's outcomes could look like. This process needed to be based on their housing needs assessment, a flood-prone section, relocation of existing network infrastructure and future staging with an adjacent land owner. The council also wanted to ensure that the affordable rental portfolio wouldn't burden future ratepayers.
The Solution
Providing both urban design and commercial advice, TUA developed an alternative bulk and location study, as well as a development feasibility study, which fed into the cashflow analysis template. The strategic urban design advice followed urban design best practice, using housing typologies specified while de-risking the scheme against natural and planning risks. The feasibility and cashflow analysis demonstrated how the funding would ensure delivery of affordable rentals whose operations would not be a financial strain on future ratepayers.
The Journey
TUA held workshops with the council and adjacent land owner to understand the rationale, history, previous and planned work for the site, as well as the objectives for the project. This informed TUA’s urban design work, which identified key influences of the site.
TUA then produced a development layout and rationale and design commentary on the unit plans. At the same time, a feasibility study was developed; one in which cost minimisation and urban design best practices were balanced against each other.
