42 | REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONCRETE SPECIALISTS NORTHLAND 021 104 4231 CALL US: LET'S DISCUSS YOUR NEXT PROJECT Te Tii (Waitangi) B3 Trust: Advance Build More homes for whānau in Waitangi The trust represents more than 3000 shareholders, with demand for housing continuing to outstrip supply. T T Kelly Deeks “We have people who would like to come home and be part of the community, and this development gives us the opportunity to support that.” Forty-eight whānau now have a place to call home on Te Tii (Waitangi) B3 Trust land, following the completion of eight new papakāinga homes in Waitangi. The homes, built by Kerikeri based Advance Build and supported through Te Pouahi o Te Taitokerau funding, have increased the Trust’s housing capacity from 40 to 48 families while bringing long vacant sections back into productive use. Trust chair George Riley says the development is helping meet demand from shareholders wanting to return home and reconnect with their whenua and community. “There is a lot of interest from whānau wanting to live here,” he says. “We have people who would like to come home and be part of the community, and this development gives us the opportunity to support that.” The homes were built using an off-site construction model, with houses manufactured in a controlled factory environment before being transported to Waitangi for installation. George says the trust selected Advance Build because of its strong reputation delivering papakāinga housing projects across the Bay of Islands. “Advance Build has completed a lot of work for Māori organisations throughout the region. We are very pleased with the quality of work they have produced and the timeliness of the project.” The development has transformed four underutilised sites within the Waitangi block. Sections that had either been vacant or without permanent housing for decades have now been developed. The trust represents more than 3000 shareholders, with demand for housing continuing to outstrip supply. “Even with these additional homes, we can only provide housing for a small proportion of our people.” While demand remains strong, George says future development must be supported by local employment opportunities. The Trust is working alongside neighbouring Maori Trusts to help create jobs through horticultural development, particularly in the kiwifruit sector. “We do not want to create a situation where people have housing but limited employment opportunities. Housing and economic development have to go hand in hand.” George says those initiatives will help create sustainable employment for local whānau while supporting future growth. The project received support through Te Pouahi o Te Taitokerau, a regional iwi-led housing initiative that continues to back affordable rental and papakāinga developments across Northland. Te Tii (Waitangi) B3 Trust treasurer Whati Rameka says the completed homes have delivered exactly what the trust envisioned. “Advance Build has been fantastic to work with,” he says. “Joe and the team were really onto it throughout the whole process and if we had the opportunity to use Advance Build again, we absolutely would. We had input into the design and build process, visited during construction, and everything turned out exactly as we had envisioned.” Whati says the ability to place two homes on each section has maximised the use of available land while creating quality housing for future generations.
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