The Horowhenua region is growing rapidly, with exciting upcoming commercial and residential opportunities guaranteed to put Levin ‘on the map'.
One such new housing development nearing completion, poised to impact Levin's housing landscape significantly, is Mabel Central, situated off Mabel Street.
This unique development is the first of its kind in the Horowhenua - a multi-residential community of townhouses ensuring that it accommodates a broad spectrum of lifestyles.
The project embodies a vision of modern, sustainable living for the new residents. With a commitment to sustainability, a range of housing options, and a focus on community well-being, this development is poised to become a model for future residential projects in Levin.
The two-storey dwellings are positioned in terraced blocks of 4-6 units around a central shared open space and one-way access road. (At the time of writing, 42 of the 43 townhouses are sold).
Once a family property with an old homestead on the edge of town, the land was purchased in 2021, and construction began in August 2022.
Homestead Construction, a local family business, developed the housing complex.
They have been constructing homes and commercial buildings throughout the Lower North Island since the 1970s. Their recent work includes the Erskine and Paetutu housing developments in Wellington/Hutt, with a total of 142 townhouses combined. Architect Tobin Smith won NZIA awards for both developments.
Another recent Homestead Construction project was the construction of the NZ Campus of Innovation and Sports Athletes Village in Upper Hutt. NZCIS was officially opened on Thursday, 22nd of June 2023. The opening was attended by Rt Honourable Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Finance/Sports Minister Grant Robertson. The Athletes Village comprises 50 2-bedroom units across seven blocks and a shared Amenities building. This recently hosted the Swedish national soccer team during the FIFA Women’s World Cup in August.
Athletes Village at NZ campus of Sport and Innovation 2023
Homestead Construction specialises in providing end-to-end 'Design & Build' construction management services covering the whole project: Feasibility, Design, Project Management, Permits/Consents, Earthworks, Construction, Interior Fit-Out, Landscaping, and more.
In Horowhenua, construction is nearing completion for the new Levin Waitarere Surf Lifesaving Club building, an excellent new asset for the club and local community. Homestead Construction worked with stakeholders from the design stage through to construction. This project is scheduled to be completed by November 2023.
The Horowhenua Company Ltd. met with Stephen, the Project Manager for the Mabel Central development, to take an inside look before the upcoming handovers to the residents.
Why did you decide to do this complex in Levin?
“There was definitely a market for it. This type of multi-level residential living doesn’t exist currently in Levin, and with our previous experience with housing complexes, the timing was right for the development.
We have completed a lot of this type of development in Wellington in the past, brought our experience back here, and took it to market. We used what we learned (what works and what doesn’t) to develop this housing complex.
Here, we bring our business and construction experience, especially in the cities, to a regional area. It pretty much shows it can be done, and we have done it. This style of living means free weekends, and it appeals to a portion of society that wants to live like this with the balance of being in a country town. We are bringing city living to a rural area. It definitely has its advantages”.
What made you decide on this site?
“It was one of the largest existing residential properties available for development in Levin, at 9,500 square metres. What sold it as a location was its proximity to local amenities, including the railway station and town centre, with kindergartens, primary, intermediate, and secondary schools all within 1km.
We have also purchased the property next door and are planning stage two.”
Who has purchased the homes?
“It’s a range of ages and mostly from outside the region. Housing developments like this bring new people to town, so the knock-on effect is it brings new business too.
The age group varies from young families, first home buyers, the investor market, and singles over 50, because of the maintenance-free lifestyle.
We had more buyers from outside the region, for example, from Upper Hutt and Wellington, due to the proximity to Wellington now we have the new expressways open.
These allow for city living in a rural landscape, the view of the Tararua Mountain range, and the proximity to beaches too”.
Why are these types of homes so sought after?
“Apart from the community lifestyle and maintenance-free component, everything in the 2- or 3-bedroom townhouse is finished. They come complete with quality floor coverings, washing machines, dryers, and dishwashers - everything someone needs has been considered, even the shelving in the cupboards”.
What other finishings have you included in the homes?
“We have really thought this through for the buyers. Each home has a private courtyard with planting throughout. There are also ranch sliders to create an indoor-outdoor flow from the lounge to the courtyard.
Because these are terraced homes constructed from concrete, this allows for a more energy-efficient home as well as having acoustic and fire safety benefits. They are double-glazed, have heat pumps, and are fitted with heated towel rails and fabric roller blinds.
We also thought about the future, so we added electric vehicle charge port infrastructure to each townhouse for future connections to EV chargers.
Every townhouse has an onsite car park, letterbox, and clothesline, with provision for secure bike and bin storage”.
What are the next steps?
“Currently, we are planning for stage two, which will have around 12-13 townhouses. Once completed, we would have built 56 homes and created a thriving little community.
We look forward to seeing families here and kids playing in the central shared community space. I’m looking forward to welcoming people to Pipi Place”.
Pipi Place was officially opened on 11th October 2023
Horowhenua looks forward to welcoming its newest residents as we watch this community grow.
This is Levin’s first multi-residential townhouse development, which includes communal areas, promoting a sense of community and healthy living.
As Levin continues to grow, Homestead Construction’s Mabel Central project has redefined the standards of housing and urban planning in the area.
