Homes for motorhomes

Motorhome owner Neil Cowley faces the traditional dilemma of what to do with his vehicle when it is not in use.

The New Plymouth man has come up with the ultimate solution: He is developing New Zealand's first residential motorhome villas.

Herekawe Lifestyle Villas on Manadon St, on the western outskirts of New Plymouth, is being developed by Mr Cowley's contracting company AJ Cowley Ltd.

The gated community will eventually have six freehold villas. Each $450,000-or-so villa will have two bedrooms plus a 10-metre garage attached to accommodate a motorhome. That means the garage will be able to double as extra bedroom space when the motorhome is in residence, says Mr Cowley.

Each villa will also be equipped with an upmarket kitchen and the added bonus of a private outdoor courtyard. In addition, each will incorporate single car garaging, allowing residents to store a smaller vehicle that can be used for quick errands around town.

Large turning bays, waste water and dumping stations, and security controlled gates will make this an attractive choice for choice for owners of motorhomes, he says.

"This property project is quite different to anything else offered on the market and caters specifically for owners of motorhomes. They are designed to be a type of home base for people who own a motorhome," he adds.

Mr Cowley says that as a motorhomer himself, he knows that owners of such vehicles are often in search of somewhere to store it. They often end up renting storage or building big multi- purpose storage sheds that add extra cost.

"These villas are the ultimate solution for people who have a motorhome, or indeed any recreational vehicle; boat or caravan and who need somewhere that is close to home or town to store it and a place they can come back to whenever they want."