Hamilton’s swing south goes as Peacocke’s development increases

Decades have been in the making and now the promise to open up South Hamilton to new homes is fast becoming a reality.

Hundreds of curious residents accepted an invitation to learn more about the city council’s plans to transform Peacocke from rolling farmland into a masterpiece neighborhood during an open house Tuesday.

Peacocke is set to absorb much of the city’s growth and more than 20,000 residents are expected to call the area home by 2048.

But Peacocke’s opening has not been without controversy as the council has worked to acquire property rights to the land needed for new roads.

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Hamilton Deputy Mayor Geoff Taylor said the Peacocke development has caused pain for some homeowners, but also represents the fulfillment of a long-standing promise to create new homes in the southwest of the city.

Peacocke was brought to the city limits in 1989.

“There has been a lot of publicity, good and bad, which is good and that has raised the profile of Peacocke,” Taylor said.

“I think people have heard a lot about it, and I also think they are starting to see bulldozers coming in now, so rubber is starting to hit the road.”

Work has already begun on a new bridge over the river that, when completed, will connect Hillcrest with Peacocke.

Karen Saunders, the council’s growth programs manager, said Peacocke is unique in that a large part of the infrastructure is being delivered at once. This was made possible after the council obtained a $ 180.3 million 10-year interest-free loan from the Government and $ 110.1 million in NZTA grants.

“The other unique thing is that because we have all that investment upfront for infrastructure, we can take this place-based approach to providing communities,” Saunders said.

“So we are not just building a bridge and roads, we are looking at how we can achieve a community with 20,000 people, lining up the parks, aligning the community amenities, working closely with the Ministry of Education to ensure that there is education in the right moment.”

More than 9,000 people are expected to live in Peacocke over the next decade.

Saunders said Peacocke represents the largest environmental investment ever made by the council in a growing area, with particular regard to critical long-tailed bats nationally.

In an interim decision issued last month, Environmental Court Judge Jeff Smith approved a ban on keeping cats in the planned 105-hectare Amberfield subdivision. Amberfield will form a large part of the Peacocke neighborhood.

Other environmental initiatives include 15 hectares of ravine restoration work, 1.5 km of stream restoration and 30 new wetlands.

Fitzroy residents Joan Nicholson and Prue Armstrong said many of their questions about Peacocke were answered after attending Tuesday’s open house.

The large-scale maps were particularly helpful in showing where the new roads and infrastructure will be built.

The new roundabout on Ohaupo Road, south of Hamilton, has already been opened to traffic and will eventually serve as a key gateway to Peacocke.

Nicholson said it’s disappointing that prime farmland in Peacocke is being lost as new homes are built, but developing the city’s south is essential.

“I come from the northeast of the city where there has been a great expansion. It is time for the South to expand and develop. However, by saying that, we as a city have to learn to climb, rather than go out, ”he said.

“What I did find encouraging is that a lot of thought has gone into protecting the environment and bats. The city council isn’t just going to get the roads through here, anyway. “

Armstrong said the open house would have reassured many residents.

“I think the dissidents will not have much to complain about now,” he said.

The council is seeking public comment on its draft Peacocke structure plan before formal consultation in May next year. The structure plan will serve as a model for the region.

Taylor said Peacocke is an opportunity to design a neighborhood from scratch.

“We can say, from the beginning, that we will have bike paths and walkways.”

Councilor Maxine van Oosten also attended the open house and said feedback from attendees was positive. However, questions arose about the need for new commercial facilities in the area that would allow residents to shop in the area.

“I also spoke with the Waikato Kindergarten Association, who are eager to be included in future planning. What we don’t want is moms traveling around town to use the early childhood facilities, ”van Oosten said.