20 | LIFESTYLE Summerset Group Holdings T T Karen Phelps The development is already taking shape Construction is now focused on the final villas with about half complete. Local contractors have played a central role in bringing Summerset Waikanae to life with about 90 per cent of the tradespeople working on the project recruited from the Kāpiti Coast. For Summerset construction project manager Darren Mead the involvement of local businesses has been one of the most positive outcomes of a project that has required a significant construction effort across the 12.5-hectare site. “Being able to have contractors that can build, succeed, grow, learn and develop with us on a project of this scale is a really positive thing. The local community has really benefited from it and of course so have we,” he says. The development is already taking shape as a substantial new community for the region with the care centre and main village centre completed earlier this year following a 21-month build. Construction is now focused on the final villas with about half complete. Summerset Waikanae will comprise 217 villas with a further 40 villas planned as part of a village extension earmarked to begin in 2027. The villas are all expected to be completed by late 2029. Among the completed buildings are seven two-storey Louisville blocks, each containing four apartments. The buildings use timber framing and cross-laminated timber floors with acoustics, fire ratings and passive fire protection. Lifts provide access to the upper apartments. “It was a learning process as this was a new typology for Summerset,” explains Darren. “There were challenges with structural elements, fire rating and passive fire, but we navigated those and delivered great buildings.” The experience has also created a valuable blueprint for future projects. A document capturing the lessons learned during construction has been developed for Summerset and is expected to assist with future Louisville developments around the country. Another innovative design used at Waikanae is the ‘under and over’ configuration, developed to work with the site’s tiered topography. A 152-metre-long, three-metre-high concrete retaining wall forms part of the design, with four apartments in each block. Two are accessed from the upper level and two from below. Darren says the approach will have applications elsewhere in New Zealand, particularly on similarly tiered sites. Local companies heavily involved throughout the project include Davis Building Group, which is constructing the villas, SMT Building, which has worked on the main building, and Wallace Building Contractors, which has undertaken structural concrete works on the main building. 21 Omahi Street Waikanae 5036 Phone : 04 293 6533 info@thomasplumbing.co.nz www.thomasplumbing.co.nz Plumbers, Gasfitters, Drainlayers, KCDC approved contractors, Civil Drainage and Water HDPE Certified welders THOMAS PLUMBING & GAS LTD A family business you can count on! Accredited Members “The way these companies have grown, developed, learned to work with Summerset and meet the standards has been really valuable for them,” says Darren. Flexibility has been another important factor, particularly during construction of the care centre. There were multiple changes as the project progressed including interior finishes changed only about seven months before handover requiring the project team to adapt and still meet the deadline. The scale and complexity of the project has also highlighted the value of established relationships between local businesses. “You need to have robust relationships and planning meetings. The key to success has been using local contractors who know each other outside work, which has allowed us to achieve goals together. This project shows the strength of a small community and how we have all come together to deliver a project of this scale.” 35+ YEARS EXPERIENCE BUILT ON EXPERIENCE 35+ YEARS BUILDING ACROSS THE KAPITI COAST RESIDENTIAL HOMES DEVELOPMENTS SUBDIVISIONS PROJECT MANAGEMENT Proudly building Summerset Villages Waikanae & Palmerston North Q U A L I T Y . E X P E R I E N C E . T R U S T . Get in touch today Darren Davis 027 4411092 Email o ce@davisbuilding.co.nz Visit www.davisbuilding.co.nz
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