38 | Meeting housing needs key The Speldhurst Country Estate retirement village in Levin. Horowhenua: Wayne Bishop Group REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT T Sue Russell First and foremost Wayne Bishop says he is a builder, having completed his apprenticeship in 1992. He was fortunate back then to immediately go into business and today, from those small beginnings the company has grown into a group structure, enabling Wayne to involve himself in property development and investment as well as continuing to build. Based in Ohau Levin ,in the Horowhenua District, Wayne says the early days ‘cutting his teeth’ on building projects mainly in Wellington provided him with opportunities to hone his project management skills often in challenging situations. “We did a lot of apartment blocks in Wellington during the boom back then. Now the roading has opening up north of Wellington, there’s been a lot more development here, with Wellingtonians spilling north, looking for a new lifestyle, still close enough to the Capital.” Out of the success of that time Wayne was able to invest funds into developments closer to home, particularly in retirement villages with very much a rural lifestyle feel to them. Following the GFC in 2010 the company was in a good position to seize opportunities and purchased a large parcel of land which is now the Speldhurst Country Estate. Levin is an hour north of Wellington and half an hour south of Palmerston North and is in the centre of a population of 750,000. The town is also one of the most expensive rental areas in New Zealand. Asked how a district grows well Wayne says a lot of it has to do with the attitude of the Council; how enabling they are to encourage growth in housing, business and infrastructure to support it. “An enabling District Plan sits at the core of regional development. The natural position of Councils unfortunately is to control and control and control and that has a negative impact on many developers who walk away. So there can be lost opportunity costs.” The intention is to devolve the property portfolio to meet housing need in the form of building social housing precincts and homes priced for the first home buyer market, two areas where Wayne says there is critical need for development in the region. “We’re at a point now where we don’t build houses, we build communities. Wayne is intent on changing the perception of the district which, he says, has suffered somewhat of a stigma. “We think we have a real jewel as far as a living experience close to the main centres and close to beaches. One of the key drivers for us is to reach our potential of what we can be as a district which includes creating opportunities for employment, so our young ones don’t have to go away to find work. And Wayne has some clear thoughts as to where the negatives, impacting on healthy development, are. “It is no secret that developers are looked on as the anti-Christ by a huge percentage of the population. Yes it’s a risky game and the rewards when things come together are good but we shouldn’t be looked on as part of society that has to battle so hard.” What Wayne finds especially interesting in the NIMBY culture so prevalent now is that the voice and reality of those living in appalling conditions isn’t given any space to be heard. “We’re trying to be a solution to a national crisis and it feels like at every junction the hurdles are stacked up. Sadly in the conversation where there are so many competing ideals between developers, the NIMBY’s voice is given precedent over those who are living in the back of a van.” Driven by a practical Christian faith Wayne feels this is where the true leadership of Government should intervene to give balance in the debate and support to those in society least able to be heard. With so much experience and a deep understanding of the developers world Wayne says what really matters comes down to a simple truth. “One of the key characteristics of a developer is not what you know or how deep your pockets are but what your attitude is and what’s driving you.” Murray Forward QUALIFIED TRADESMAN JOINER Phone: 027 224 0701 Email: m.forward@xtra.co.nz After Hours: 06 368 6291 PO Box 405, Levin, 5510 NO JOB TOO SMALL
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