Work is starting this week on the first stage of New Plymouth District Council’s $12 million affordable housing programme, with 12 new one-bedroom units for seniors to be built in Bell Block. The $4.5 million development on Wynyard Street will sit alongside the Council’s existing nine Housing for the Elderly units, with construction expected to take about a year.
“Every year there’s growing demand on the Council’s housing as our population ages,” says NPDC General Manager Operational Excellence Sarah Downs. “It’s good to see this project getting underway, which will support vulnerable members of our community. It’s a big step in the right direction of making sure that our elderly have a warm, dry place to call home.”
Designed to modern standards, the new homes will include improved heating and ventilation, fully accessible bathrooms, enclosed mobility-scooter parking, and private outdoor areas. Funding comes from the $12 million allocated over three years in NPDC’s 2024–2034 Long-Term Plan to help address the district’s shortage of affordable housing.
Separate to construction, NPDC is considering appointing a community housing provider to operate the new complex, on the basis the units are reserved for elderly residents on low incomes. Across the wider programme, the Council plans an estimated 28 additional units at sites around the district, with the final total dependent on the locations selected. The package also includes $1.5 million earmarked for the Abbeyfield group to purchase land for a community-living facility, subject to final Council approval.
NPDC currently provides 145 Housing for the Elderly units across the district and has 119 people on its waiting list for housing.
