The Oakland Estates development involves about 650 additional homes being built on 58ha of rural land behind Saxton Field, between Stoke and Richmond. It may also include a retirement village and small commercial area of 0.7ha.
Nelson needs more homes and this is an obvious area for growth. The research on housing shows that increasing supply is the best way to ensure home ownership is attainable for the next generation, rents are affordable and the risk of homelessness is lowered.
The economic benefits are about 200 additional jobs over the 5–7-year build and approximately $300 million extra in GDP. We all also benefit from having 650 more ratepayers to help fund our city’s sports and cultural facilities.
A bonus benefit of this Oakland development is the opportunity to connect Hill Street North with Suffolk Road and provide a third transport link between Richmond and Nelson. It would provide a shorter route for people living in the eastern areas into the city and take pressure off Salisbury Road, Main Road Stoke and the busy intersections.
This link road would add resilience to our roading network for times when SH6 or Main Road Stoke is blocked by accidents, weather or roadworks such as resealing. It would also provide an ideal new eastern eBus route along Hill Street and The Ridgeway that would complement the two main bus runs - Route 1 along Main Road Stoke-Waimea Road and Route 2 along Nayland Road and Tāhunanui.
The development of this link road would require a broader upgrade of Hill Street North, Suffolk Road and The Ridgeway and several intersections but it is a massive opportunity to improve transport in the southern parts of the city.
Council determined this Oakland area was suitable for residential development in our Future Development Strategy in 2022. Initial assessments were done on the infrastructure, cultural, heritage and conservation issues by Government agencies before it was accepted for referral last month under the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Act 2024.
The next stage involves the Oakland Estates team lodging their substantive application and this being considered by an expert board. We need to get the detail right, but this proposed development is great news for our city.
