Helensville 'ghetto'

By CARALISE MOORE - Rodney Times

Housing New Zealand has created a Helensville ghetto, western ward councillor Grev Walker told the Rodney District Council strategy and community committee.

He was referring to a new development on Rautawhiri Rd in Helensville.

Fellow ward councillor Suzanne Weld has major concerns about how the land has been developed.

"The nine houses are squeezed together because the land is so steep and there are parts of the site they can't build on," Ms Weld says.

"There's massive retaining walls behind some of the houses. The development is on a right-of-way, with no footpath, no lighting and very little space for kids to play on.

"The entrance is a dog's breakfast, really messy and a disgrace.

"Local residents are upset about how Housing NZ can go into an existing neighbourhood and, with no consultation, build these types of houses," Ms Weld says.

Residents' group Helensville Concerned gathered to address Housing NZ on the development.

"No one knew what was going on," says group spokesman Cliff Wright.

"Construction work started levelling the property and we tried to find out about it through the council.

"Our beef has nothing to do with the people that stay there. On the most part they are great neighbours. We have only had one incident and that was resolved quickly. Our concern is the housing design.

"The original application was for 14 houses on the site, but they changed it to nine. The development had several infringements, they had to apply for resource consents, they were approved."

The group organised a meeting with Housing NZ representatives and several councillors.

"We were told a load of rubbish. Housing NZ said they weren't going back to cluster housing, but this development is just that," says Mr Wright.

"Houses are built within 40 centimetres of the
road."

He says there is no space for children to play, "it is the most inappropriate place for young families that anyone can imagine".

Ms Weld questioned why Housing NZ has made such an enclave of properties when its usual policy is to spread houses out through a suburban area.

"They didn't seem to have an answer for that. Following that meeting a petition was organised and passed on to Housing Minister Phil Heatley," says Ms Weld.

"Mayor Penny Webster managed to meet with the minister about the issue and showed him photos.

"He was going to look into it further."

Mr Wright says residents don't want to see it happen again.