Another 60 homes are on the horizon for Rotorua.

Resource consent was granted earlier this month to enable 60 homes to be built at 45 Frank Street.

This will be the second stage of the Mountview Green development which has been taking shape within Koutu.

The first stage of the development on Ian Street includes 26 standalone, duplex and triplex homes.

Construction of the Ian Street stage began earlier this year in April and is well underway, with some owners due to move into their new homes in the New Year.

Rotorua Lakes Council District Development DCE Jean-Paul Gaston says that this is an example of a good higher density development.

An artist's impression of the inside of a three bedroom apartment on Frank Street.

'The Mountview Green developments at Ian Street and Frank Street are a really great example of what we should be seeing in Rotorua in the near future. Higher density builds that are an efficient use of space, in already established neighbourhoods.

'This development has taken into consideration the placement of homes within the site, the surrounding environment and sustainability of the homes themselves. We're also seeing developers really consider affordability as part of their models with the introduction of the KiwiBuild homes. This will be a real benefit to the community, and is the type of development that we want to be seeing across the district.”

Once finalised, Mountview Green will have constructed 86 news homes for Rotorua.

The development is a significant investment into the local housing market and is the first medium density build of that scale in Rotorua.

There will be a mix of homes between the two stages, from standalone three bedroom homes, to two storey two and three bedroom terraced homes.

Each homes is architecturally designed and will meet healthy homes standards.

An artist's impression of a three bedroom apartment on Frank Street.

Marcus Jacobson, Mountview Green developer and Director of Watchman Capital, says that he and his family are really excited about moving on to the next stage of builds at Frank Street.

'Working with Council has been really collaborative and we're pleased to be able to bring a new type of development to the market, with the different home typologies that Council and the community are looking for.

'The response to the development has been really positive. We've had a good mix of purchasers including investors, locals and first home buyers.

'We know there's a big need for housing in Rotorua, and it's been great to be able to contribute to filling a portion of that housing deficit while also seeing local first home buyers purchasing their own homes. The KiwiBuild homes within the development have been a big part of making sure that first home buyers were part of the mix and we're looking forward to seeing families start arriving at their new homes in 2022.”

KiwiBuild was established by the Government in 2018 as an initiative to address housing challenges in New Zealand. KiwiBuild works with developers to expedite residential developments and improves access for new home owners at more affordable prices.

The price cap for a KiwiBuild home in Rotorua is $500,000.

'Developments take a significant amount of time, investment and collaboration and we've been anticipating an increase in granted consents for some time, so it's really pleasing to see this momentum taking us into the New Year,” says Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick.

'In the past few weeks we have been reminded that the city needs all types of homes, from public to new greenfield developments and higher density builds. The market is responding and that's great news for 2022.”

Housing is the district's key challenge and Council is committed to growing the increasing need for new homes of all types.

Council is working in partnership with Te Arawa, central Government and local providers, developers and landowners to deliver a coordinated approach to achieving the housing targets set in the 2021-2031 Long-term Plan.

For more information about how Council is working to deliver more housing for Rotorua visit www.rotorualakescouncil.nz/homesforrotorua

For more information about the development visit www.mountviewgreen.co.nz

For more information about KiwiBuild homes, including eligibility criteria, visit www.kiwibuild.govt.nz