Council launches residential intensification design guide

A concept of a five-unit residential development that uses design to make the most of light and space to create quality dwellings that are pleasant to live in and build a sense of community.

Generating more housing to meet the escalating need at the same time as protecting the district’s productive growing land is a key consideration for Hastings District Council.

To help achieve this, residential intensification (or fitting more houses into existing neighbourhoods) is required, and it’s a core goal of the Heretaunga Plains Urban Development Strategy 2017 and Hastings District Council’s Medium Density Strategy.

To ensure a high level of quality, best-practice design is encouraged and to assist in this the council has produced the Hastings Residential Intensification Design Guide, which provides property developers, builders, architects and others with ideas and tips to achieve this goal.

“Our vision is to have well-designed andsustainable housing developments that builda sense of community, use land efficientlyand protect our productive land for futuregenerations,” said council team leader environmental policy Megan Gaffaney.

“We want to encourage housing providers in our district to marry good design with a variety of residential intensification types to create high quality, high amenity housing options at a range of price points for our community.”

The guide focuses on design elements such as housing type, size and height, colour, connection to open spaces, landscape design and car parking, and is packed with images, diagrams and plans illustrating what to do, and what not to do.

It covers residential types ranging from infill to greenfield developments, inner city housing, mixed-use suburban shopping centres and co-housing and retirement villages.

Click here to view the Hastings Residential Design Guide www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/design

30 March 2021

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