The Wellington region is forecast to add another 200,000 people by 2051. Of that number, 18,000 are expected to have settled in Upper Hutt. To accommodate these people, we need 7,900 more homes, and they will need to be a mix of greenfield (new homes on new sections) and intensification (new apartments and townhouses on existing sections). What we know is that Kiwis have preferences for different housing types at different stages of life. We have intentionally designed a mixed-density development that provides options for everyone and is distinctively different from some of the existing 2-storey townhouse infill developments being built in the region. Our design includes apartments and townhouses around parks and large areas of open space, through to large family homes that are surrounded by regenerating bush.
The landscape will change with pine trees progressively removed and replaced with either native forest or residential development knitted into the forest landscape. We are committed to retaining the natural beauty of the site, as that will be a major attraction for the people we want living there. What we aim to achieve is housing that is immersed in nature, not standing apart from it. From Silverstream and Pinehaven the forest will be the dominant feature of the hillside.
Traffic flow is a key consideration for this development. If all goes smoothly, we anticipate that the first neighbourhood on Kiln St, which is already within the high-density residential zone, would be completed by 2028. This piece is called The Gateway and is planned for apartment and townhouse living, ideal for young workers and couples who will commute via rail and bus, as the site is located less than a 10-minute walk to Silverstream station. The impact on traffic at this stage is minimal. The first neighbourhood to be built in Silverstream Forest, which we call The Ridge, is targeted for completion in 2031. It is at this point that we anticipate some increase in vehicle movements heading toward Upper Hutt and SH2. There are already roading upgrades planned for the Silverstream and broader Hutt region, which will assist with traffic flow at this point. Using the Council’s approach to traffic modelling, we have assessed the impact of our development to build a picture of what further roading upgrades may be required over time. This modelling shows some minor upgrades would be required, which we have costed into our development funding. Specifically, the project would provide for an upgrade at the Kiln and Field street intersection, changing the roundabout to a traffic light intersection. There would also be proposed adjustments on Avro Road. While logging trucks currently use this road without issue, our traffic safety team has recommended it be widened using the road reserve space, which would include moving water and power utilities. Some other minor safety improvements (guard rails) are also recommended for Blue Mountains Road.
We are aware that there have been some misconceptions around the risks of erosion and stormwater runoff. As a current production forest with steep slopes and a rocky soil substrate, high naturally uncontrolled runoff has always occurred in the forest. This is the case today. With a change of land use to part residential and the balance vegetated, runoff from the site will be able to be permanently managed. Our development intentionally locates housing in the most easily accessed and suitable areas, which are designed to be stormwater neutral. Ultimately, the risks associated with water runoff would be significantly better managed with the development than without it., and this will be demonstrated using Wellington Water’s latest modelling methodology.
Over time, yes. Planning for population growth is standard practice for local and central government. This area has long been earmarked for growth and as a phased project, there is ample time to allow for more facilities to be built to meet population growth. Understandably people look at what exists now and worry it cannot sustain another four or five thousand people. But these residents will arrive gradually over the next 15+ years, allowing ample time for government and businesses to plan to meet the community’s needs, as they have to do anyway to accommodate the expected population growth in Upper Hutt.
We estimate investing $180m in new infrastructure, including roads and 3 waters (stormwater, waste and wasterwater) systems. None of this cost is imposed on the council and therefore there is no impact on your rates.
The Silverstream Spur is the most logical and achievable access point for the Silverstream Forest development. Its proximity to Silverstream train station, shops and amenities makes it ideally positioned to connect a significant new community to existing infrastructure. Enabling a single transport corridor through just 10% of the 35-hectare Spur not only provides recreational access to the Spur, it opens access to the whole forest. As well as much-needed housing for Upper Hutt, the development will include 182 hectares of new public open space including existing and regenerating native forest, new parks, and 16km of walking and mountain biking trails. The net ecological benefit of the project is substantial. The area needed for roading is not ecologically significant, as it would go through unmanaged exotic pine forest (pine is 80% of the Spur). By contrast, the broader development will convert pine forest into residential land and open space, allowing native bush to regenerate across a significantly larger area that would also benefit from active management and can be made into public reserves. Critically, the development would extend the existing predator control programme already operating in Silverstream Forest to meet our long-term aspiration of returning Kiwi to our region.
No, the forest is currently closed to the public while harvesting takes place (there are lots of signs at the entrances to the forest about this, too). This is to ensure the safety of the public and the workers in the forest. We will open the forest for recreation when harvesting is finished.
We usually plant once a year during winter in June or July. We’d love to get the community involved, so just send us a message if you're keen to be involved and we’ll be in touch. We plant a range of native trees including mānuka, rātā, ferns, kamahi and beech.
We're embarking on concept design work this year and this will help identify the types of houses best suited to the land. But we envisage a range of types and densities being suitable across the landscape. Higher densities close to public transport and services makes sense, and the topography of the land will also dictate what's possible, where.
