Trust tests Arrowtown affordable housing concept

From the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust:

"The Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust (QLCHT) is challenging its own urban design practice by seeking out specialists to help create affordable sustainable housing for future generations.

The Trust is calling for proposals from urban design, architectural and sustainability experts to review its current masterplan for its 68-Lot Tewa Banks development in Arrowtown, in an effort to build energy efficient housing that results in a lower carbon footprint.
 
Tewa Banks has already been designed with a resource consent application underway, but the Trust wants to make sure the current plan is future-proofed to produce sustainable outcomes for generations to come.
 
The review will include comparing against leading design trends for comparable developments and making recommendations on potential improvements to the current urban design solutions for this affordable housing development.
 
QLCHT chair Andrew Blair (main image above) says the Trust is looking for innovative ways to improve the future liveability and sustainability of Tewa Banks, as well as future developments.

Detail of the Tewa Banks site near Arrowtown.

 
“This review is the first step in a process of creating leading edge housing developments that improve the lives of the residents and benefit the local community,” he says. “We want to provide a future-focused, sustainable development by building for the next generation. This review will help us become futuristic in thinking and challenge the current model and zoning.”

Key objectives of the Tewa Banks review include:
  

• Look at options for more shared spaces and intensive low rise, and create more efficient use of space
• Provide a healthy indoor and outdoor environment that exceeds current NZ building standards and aims to achieve or progress towards “world-best” healthy living standards
• Significantly reduce the carbon footprint of development – provide sustainable designs in terms of carbon footprint, energy use, waste minimisation, healthy materials and water conservation
• Provide an environment that fosters a connected community, improving liveability and community support
• Grasp trends in technology and future proof the community and the building to facilitate the rapidly changing housing sector
• Incorporate current and future transportation and connectivity trends, including maximising opportunities for walking, cycling, public transport, car sharing, ride sharing, EVs
• Create high quality, aesthetically pleasing dwellings that instil a sense of pride and improve feelings of wellbeing and life-satisfaction in the residents

The 3.68 hectare site on Jopp Street in Arrowtown is in the process of being assigned to QLCHT from the Queenstown Lakes District Council, following a Council resolution to transfer the site to QLCHT for $1 dollar in April 2019.
 
The Trust invites interested parties to send forward proposals via GETS (Government Electronic Tenders Service) by 5pm 19 August 2021.