| 75 DEVELOPMENT Cannon Point Development T T Karen Phelps Nature and space for the family Sitting on an elevated site with valley and mountain views, the development borders the Cannon Point Walkway and an adjoining reserve. Cannon Point Development is providing locals with opportunities to have the old-fashioned Kiwi dream –— a standalone home and a back yard. Located on the elevated terraces of Upper Hutt it is one of the Wellington region’s most significant residential developments with construction well under way across its first two stages and hundreds more homes to come. “Sales have been strong, especially before the market slowdown, with sections snapped up almost instantly back then,” says the developer behind the project Simon Zhang from Cannon Point Development Limited. There are already 12 completed homes across the first stage and stage two, which comprises 35 sections, is well into its build phase, with roughly half of the houses now complete. In stages one and two Cannon Point Development Limited sold sections to both builders and the general public. In stages three and four it will offer house and land packages and spec homes instead, bringing an additional 250 homes to the market. Those are expected to become available in early 2027. Simon says the development as a deliberate response to what Upper Hutt has long lacked. “In Upper Hutt, most houses are infill, so this provides a good opportunity for people to own a stand-alone home,” he says. “Cannon Point enables people to stay close to nature and have a section with a bit of space.” While the development has been designed to accommodate traditional Kiwi homes, with the majority being stand-alone properties featuring backyards and garages, a small proportion of townhouses has been included to offer variety. Around 30 per cent of the homes are aimed at first home buyers in terms of price point, providing genuine entry-level opportunities in a region where those have become increasingly scarce. Sitting on an elevated site with valley and mountain views, the development borders the Cannon Point Walkway and an adjoining reserve, natural amenities that Simon says shaped the project’s character from the outset. He says the location also lends itself to family living. Totara Park School, a daycare centre, and a kindergarten are all close by, as are the Totara Park shops. The Upper Hutt city centre is a five-minute drive away. Plans also include a small commercial area within the development itself, offering food options and an additional kindergarten. Simon, who has spent over a decade working in property across Wellington, takes a hands-on approach to his projects. He says Cannon Point has also delivered benefits beyond the residential market. “The development also provides good opportunities for local tradespeople,” he says pointing to the volume of construction activity the project has generated for the region’s building sector. The development’s civil engineering and project management were handled by Vecta, which oversaw the project from initial concept and scheme plans through to detailed design. It was a process that Simon says presented its share of technical challenges along the way but he is proud of what Cannon Point has become. With stage three and four set to add substantially to the offering, he says that Cannon Point is shaping up as one of the most consequential additions to Upper Hutt’s housing stock in recent memory and is becoming a well sought-after residential development. architecture Andrew McCullie Architectural Design for Cannon Point Development by mac architecture ay Offices in Wellington and Mt Maunganui p 021 824433 e andrew@aymac.net
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