Fast-track Development

[Brent George]

Property development company Winton takes Kāinga Ora to court over refusal to fast-track $4b 'car-less' neighbourhood
Stuff - Business: 20-Oct-2022

Property development company Winton Land alleges Kāinga Ora is engaging in anticompetitive behaviour by refusing private developers fair access to fast-track powers and paying well above market rate for land.

Winton Land Limited, and its subsidiary Sunfield, filed a case at the Auckland High Court on Wednesday 19-Oct-2022 alleging Kāinga Ora engaged in anticompetitive behaviour by refusing to fast-track their $4b Sunfield development in Papakura.

Winton Land chief executive Chris Meehan declined to state the amount of money being sought, but said it was significant.

Meehan said the company wanted a declaration from the court that Kāinga Ora’s conduct was unlawful and in breach of the Commerce Act, and for the Agency to reconsider using fast track consenting powers for Winton’s Sunfield development.

[Brent George]

...and the back story behind a development with fewer roads....

With few roads, a new development offers cheaper Auckland housing
Stuff - Environment: 6-Oct-2021

Sunfield – a “carless” neighbourhood two minutes from Papakura Station – will knock 20 per cent off the average cost of Auckland housing by building fewer roads, developers say.

The 5000 homes in the Winton development won’t have driveways or garages. But residents will be able to take advantage of an electric shuttle service, when they’re not walking or biking.

Following the sustainability principle that people should live no more than 15 minutes from their daily needs, the neighbourhood will also contain offices, shops, cafés, parks, a supermarket, a private hospital, two schools and three retirement villages.

[Brent George]

Housing standoff escalates, as developer attacks Govt 'red tape' in ad campaign
Stuff - Business: 15-Apr-2023

Property developer Chris Meehan has just spent “tens of thousands” running a series of national newspaper ads attacking government “red tape”, and calling for a meeting with Prime Minister Chris Hipkins.

Winton chief executive Meehan is looking to build Sunfield​, an eco-friendly, car-free, affordable housing development near Papakura in south Auckland.

Rather than building houses for “desperate Kiwis”, he’s been writing to Hipkins, taking court action against Kāinga Ora alleging anticompetitive behaviour, and run attack ads in the Sunday Star-Times and the Wellington-based Dominion Post.