CDL owns “a substantial percentage of the landholdings“ between those two roads across a 52-hectare area, a CDL report said.

Other landowners also own properties in that 52ha area.

“CDL Land NZ LTD is considering the applicability of subdividing and developing all, or part [thereof], 18 parcels located within the [52ha] area bounded by Te Aute Rd, Middle Rd, and Gilpin Rd on the western edge of Havelock North,” a CDL report said.

AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.CDL is considering another large subdivision in Havelock North on the ‘site’ pictured. Photo / HDC

In February, the company received consent from the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) to purchase another 3ha in that area.

“[CDL] will integrate [that property] with its adjoining land and will use both to carry out a residential subdivision development,” the OIO decision said.

Concept plans for the potential project have been released to assist with identifying growth areas around Hastings and Napier.

They highlight the potential for hundreds of residential lots to be subdivided.

However, they are not final concept plans and are for “discussion purposes” only, as parts of that land are still owned by other landowners.

Concept plans for the potential subdivision between Middle Rd and Te Aute Rd in Havelock North. CDL does not currently own all that land and the plans are for “discussion only”. Photo / HDC

No resource consent applications have been lodged for the project.

The 52ha site is currently used for a range of activities including rural residential, church use (Village Baptist), stormwater control, small-scale orcharding, and pastoral grazing.

The site is opposite the new James Wattie Retirement Village.

AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.

Fight to have land earmarked for housing

The 52ha site between Middle Rd and Te Aute Rd has been a point of contention in the soon-to-be-finalised Hastings and Napier Future Development Strategy (FDS).

That strategy sets out residential growth areas where housing is deemed suitable for the future.

If a site is included in that strategy, it is a big step toward future development.

The 52ha site was initially included in the draft FDS as a residential growth area, with potential for over 600 homes, but was taken out of the draft strategy in November due to concerns about protecting fertile growing soils.

CDL Land has since made multiple submissions to an independent panel to have the land reinstated in the strategy.

“CDL considers that not only is there an absence of quantifiable evidence to justify the reasons for removal, but that the original assessment by the [technical advisory group] supports [the area] being included,” a CDL submission said.

The land is zoned Plains Production, which protects fertile soils from being developed.

Part of the site which could potentially be subdivided in future, looking from Middle Rd toward Te Aute Rd in Havelock North. Photo / NZME

Council officers have also submitted to the independent panel in support of the land being reinstated in the FDS.

“While it is recognised that the soil values are listed as LUC 2 [highly productive soil], additional advice was sourced by the technical advisory group as to the actual productivity of the land,” a report from council officers said.

“Advice was obtained from Agfirst … which indicated that due to the high susceptibility to flooding and high water table, the opportunity to utilise the land productively was compromised and the ability to use the land for cropping purposes was limited.

“There has not been information received that provides an alternative viewpoint to the AgFirst analysis, and many of the submissions support the difficulties for using the land for productive land-based purposes.”

Next steps for the project

The FDS independent panel will release a highly anticipated report on May 9, with its recommendations for possible additions to the strategy.

Three partnering councils — Hastings, Napier and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council — will then make a final call in June about what land will be included in the FDS, after considering that report.

If the site in question (known as HN3a and HN3b) is added back into the FDS, it will mark a victory for CDL’s subdivision plans.

Meanwhile, a drainage reserve is currently being constructed on part of that land to support the neighbouring Iona subdivision.

CDL Land is a subsidiary of NZX-listed CDL Investments NZ Ltd, which is over half overseas-owned.

CDL Land previously completed the 63-lot Brookfield Estate subdivision on Whakatomo Place in Havelock North, which it developed between 2012 and 2016.

Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business, councils, breaking news and cyclone recovery. He formerly worked at News Corp Australia.