The Star: June 15, 2023
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong> Thursday <strong>June</strong> <strong>15</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
6<br />
NEWS<br />
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to residents’ meeting<br />
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Art gallery and<br />
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• By Tony Simons<br />
KĀINGA ORA hasn’t decided if<br />
it will go to a meeting called by<br />
residents next week to discuss a<br />
social housing development it is<br />
purchasing in Northwood.<br />
Nearby residents, upset about<br />
being blindsided over a partly<br />
completed over-50s housing<br />
complex in Pentland Estate being<br />
turned into a social housing<br />
complex, have organised the<br />
meeting with Waimakariri MP<br />
Matt Doocey, city councillor<br />
Aaron Keown and community<br />
representatives – but have been<br />
told the social housing provider<br />
may not turn up.<br />
Resident Ann Sanders said she<br />
thought Kāinga Ora was going<br />
to send a representative, then it<br />
declined, she said.<br />
Yesterday, the agency told <strong>The</strong><br />
<strong>Star</strong> it may attend after all.<br />
“We are speaking with the<br />
Belfast Community Network<br />
about the meeting and whether<br />
an appropriate representative<br />
from Kāinga Ora will be able<br />
to attend,” said Kāinga Ora<br />
regional director Liz Krause.<br />
Earlier this month, Kāinga<br />
Ora did another letterbox drop<br />
to the neighbours.<br />
“We hoped to clarify aspects<br />
of the development where we<br />
Liz Krause<br />
Ann Sanders<br />
were aware there was some misinformation<br />
circulating in the<br />
community,” said Krause.<br />
“It’s also worth noting that<br />
we have only heard from one<br />
member of the community, who<br />
had questions about traffic.”<br />
Consent for the 27-home<br />
Kāinga Ora development, next<br />
to the Northwood shopping<br />
centre, was originally given to<br />
a private developer in 2017 for<br />
an older persons’ complex, after<br />
neighbours agreed it could go<br />
ahead.<br />
Last year Kāinga Ora agreed<br />
to purchase the completed<br />
development from builder<br />
Freeman Homes, but didn’t tell<br />
nearby residents until April<br />
when the social housing agency<br />
distributed flyers revealing it<br />
would be social housing for<br />
over-50s and anyone of any age<br />
on a permanent health benefit.<br />
“We weren’t told that when we<br />
agreed to it going ahead,” said<br />
resident Ann Sanders.<br />
She is particularly concerned<br />
about the lack of communication.<br />
“Kāinga Ora considers<br />
the flyers that were dropped<br />
off in April and last week as<br />
community consultation. Is this<br />
acceptable? Is this an example of<br />
community consultation?” she<br />
said.<br />
“We are fielding dozens<br />
of inquiries seeking more<br />
information and asking for a<br />
community meeting. Everyone<br />
is supportive. No one is happy<br />
with the development as it is,”<br />
Sanders said.<br />
Stage one of the complex<br />
is expected to be occupied in<br />
November.<br />
WORLD ELDER ABUSE<br />
AWARENESS DAY<br />
<strong>15</strong> JUNE #WEAAD<br />
If you’re<br />
concerned about<br />
how someone is<br />
being treated,<br />
it’s OK to help<br />
CALL OUR FREE HELPLINE
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