| 65 T T Hugh de Lacy Bay Hill - a unique subdivision The 37-section sub-division has been developed by Jon Thompson’s Island Bay Ltd with a vision of a community of owners who had designed and built their own homes within a beautiful natural environment. DEVELOPMENT Island Bay Limited SITE EXCAVATION SPECIALISTS BRENT: 027 444 9344 • BILL: 027 439 2288 For further information and to find out more about the availability of sections, contact Steve & Elise – “The Smart Choice” Perched on a hill above Wellington’s Island Bay, and nestled between two public reserves, the Bay Hill sub-division offers buyers and builders sweeping views of the south coast and a strong sense of community. The 37-section sub-division cost about $8 million to develop, and there were 21 sections sold either off the plans or by the middle of March this year. The sub-division has been developed by Jon Thompson’s Island Bay Ltd with a vision of a community of owners who had designed and built their own homes within a beautiful natural environment. The homes built so far are in the cost range of $1.25m to $1.75m, with the lot sizes varying between 400sqm and 680sqm and prices between $500,000 and $650,000. “We finished the development side of the sub-division in October last year, and houses are now starting to be built on all the sections sold so far,” Jon says. “We’ve protected the quality and style of the sub-division with covenants and a two-stage design review process, and while the buyers are free to choose their own architect, we’ve worked closely in setting up the guidelines and providing practical pointers with two Wellington design firms, Makers of Architecture and Holmes Architecture.” The covenants have been developed to protect the buyers’ investment and ensure high quality architecture and urban design, while the design review panel ensures the design process is efficient and the outcomes excellent. “The design guidelines cover such aspects as the relationship of the building to the roadway, landscape design, and the materials used to build the houses. “The sections have been designed to cater to a range of requirements, including size, budget, access, views, privacy and shelter, and to help in sensitively merging the built forms into the surrounding landscape,” Jon says. The highlight - and highest point – of the sub-division is an 800sqm recreational space and playground set on the prominent spur between the Paekawakawa and Tawatawa reserves, with all-day sun and 360o views over Island Bay village to the east, Tapu te Rangi Island and the coast to the south, and Tawatawa Reserve, the western ridgeline, Wellington City and the harbour to the north. “A key goal of the sub-division has been to create a community that is vibrant, friendly and fun, and to this end a Residents’ Association has been formed to bring people together with a common identity,” Jon says. The sections have sold steadily despite Wellington housing market values slumping in the past year in response to the Covid-driven economic downturn, and Jon has seen no evidence of the labour and material shortages that plagued the industry last year. These don’t seem to have greatly depressed the new home building market either, and with the wider construction industry in winddown after a frantic couple of years, buyers are having no trouble finding builders. “There have been no issues with builders, and with a lot of large construction projects being put on hold their prices are becoming more competitive. “We’ve still got a few sections to sell, but we’re not in a huge hurry,” Jon says. “The overall picture, in Wellington as elsewhere, is that there’s still a nation-wide housing shortage and it’s going to take some years, and quite a few sub-divisions like Bay Hill, before it’s solved.” • The sections are being sold exclusively with Elise Boulieris and Steve Rodwell from Lowe & Co Realty.
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