The first tranche of 11 lifestyle blocks in the Rapaki property on Shooting Butts Road could be on the market within months – a development not needing waste-water access to the town’s sewerage system, currently closed to new connections.
“The civil work has started. The (first segment of) road is excavated and the surface metal is on its way in, the power cables have all been laid and installation work is almost complete,” Rapaki project manager Tim Smith told The Star.
“Having the cabling all underground protects shared landscapes, so the views are uninterrupted by infrastructure (power lines and poles).”
The initial 11 lifestyle blocks will cover some 50 hectares of the 184 hectare area – ranging from the smallest at 1.3 hectares, and with the majority of them covering four hectares.
“The roading for the first 11 lots should be configured this side of winter, weather permitting,” he said. That initial 850 metres of roading will provide access to the blocks in Stage 1 of the project.
The work includes sealing the new road and “the upgrade of Shooting Butts Road, including the introduction of a large culvert on the road – upgrading an existing culvert to a much larger sized culvert.
“The streams from Rapaki (run) down towards Martinborough – and it’s the passage under Shooting Butts Road that we’re upgrading,” as well as sealing the road itself, Smith added.
The Stage 1 blocks will go on the market “mid this year,” and while no sites have yet been publicly listed, Smith said they have had “strong inquiry” though “we can’t sell anything until we get titles and we have to complete the site work before we can sell it.”
He confirmed there is already a list of potential purchasers, with “one specific buyer who has put their names on two lots, but for the others – people will just have to wait till it comes to market.
A set of what Smith described as design guidelines will apply to the project, to help determine “the size, shape, materials, locations (of buildings within lifestyle blocks) to protect the landscape – so the houses nestle in rather than protrude from the landscape.”
The guidelines will also involve “colouring and textures and where possible the use of natural materials and (oversight of) planting plans to try to anchor the houses to the back of sections so they protect the privacy of each lifestyle block holder.”
“The goal is to protect and give access to the Rapaki Walk in a way that is a benefit to the (lifestyle block) buyers who will have the walk at their doorsteps but also the public can use that walk without intruding on the privacy of the lot holders.”
Design guidelines for the subdivision’s housing are well evolved with the assistance of architect Chris Moller, engaged to oversee/supervise the entire project.
Planting 14,000 native saplings along riparian strips six months ago had had “the good fortune of regular rain in December and sprinkles right through, so they’re well established with some now knee to waist high. It was a very, very fortunate rain in December … that gave them a great start,” he added.
The company is working with the Greater Wellington Regional Council and Aorangi Restoration Trust on the on-going planting programme.
Enhancing the landscape rather than impeding the views “is what makes Rapaki rather special,” he said.
Last year, developer Murray Cole told The Star (April 2024) the project has four stages – with Te Muna Road, a stage where two large lots are sold already. Then there’s Stage 1 – some “11 lots up from Shooting Butts Road,” named as Rapaki Estate. Next is Rapaki Hills, a further 11 properties, then Rapaki Meadows, in effect Stage 4, together totalling 39 sites.
