The Challenge
Far North Holdings had a site they wanted to develop for affordable rental housing on Ranfurly Steet in Dargaville, using a prefinished building system.
The Solution
The final design TUA proposed included 46 units with a mixture of 2 and 3 bedroom units, surrounded by a new cul-de-sac road and open space areas.
Some 2-bed units were configured in clusters of four units (quadplex), which were of similar scale and form to standalone dwellings in the existing neighbourhood. Other units were proposed as groups of terraced units, with blocks arranged to be facing the proposed street. The design had a focus on supporting residential amenities, pedestrian movement and character, while offering a range of housing options.
Working closely with the planner, engineers and client, TUA supported the overall team in the design development process, to achieve a balance of site constraints (to layout and desired yield), with the urban design needs of having a legible streetscape and good residential amenities. TUA worked to ensure both of these aspects considered scale, height, and bulk - in a way that will contribute to and integrate with the existing suburban residential character of Dargaville.
The Journey
The site was zoned as residential. However, it was situated within an area of growth that would become medium density in the future (as identified in the Spatial Plan). The design strategy therefore sought to be consistent with the exposure draft of the Kaipara District Plan, which would update District Plan zoning to support this medium density development. The resource consent was processed in parallel to the District Plan and granted, non-notified.
