The Waipukurau South Growth Precinct (WSGP) is a development site located on and around the old Waipukurau Hospital site, approximately 1km South of Waipukurau’s town centre, situated between Pōrangahau and Tavistock Roads. The site incorporates the old Waipukurau hospital site, and several other landholdings currently used as lifestyle blocks and for other rural activities.  

  The WSGP project has received $10.9 million from the Government's Infrastructure Acceleration Fund to enhance essential infrastructure, including transport, wastewater, water supply and stormwater systems. This funding could over time facilitate the development of up to more than 900 homes on 50+ hectares of land

The land within the development area is in various public and private ownership. The Crown Entity LINZ owns two large parcels of land to the north that are in the Treaty Settlement landbank.

Another land parcel to be used for stormwater management is owned by Central Hawke's Bay District Council. The remaining land is in various private ownerships.

Funding from the Governments Infrastructure Acceleration Fund was unlocked in late 2022. In February 2023, the WSGP programme was put on hold as resources were redeployed for the response and recovery to Cyclone Gabrielle. The programme endured several key staffing changes. Furthermore, Council slowed/paused its capital works programme, including some of the eligible infrastructure projects for the WSGP, as it faced significant financial and affordability constraints in preparing its 2024 Three Year Plan.

Since the start of 2025, two stormwater basins are being constructed to enable the first subdivisions in the WSGP.

Unlocking this area for development is a key priority for Central Hawke's Bay District Council, in line with the CHB Integrated Spatial Plan 2020 - 2050. Central Hawke’s Bay District Council is taking a leadership and facilitation role to enable residential growth in Waipukurau for decades to come, in two parts.

First, development of this land into housing cannot happen without core infrastructure, like drainage, managing stormwater and water supply. Council is committed to delivering new infrastructure as well as completing existing network upgrades to unlock and enable development of the Waipukurau South Growth Precinct as agreed with the Infrastructure Acceleration Fund and Kainga Ora, who administers the fund.

Second, Council has a role in ensuring the site continues to be developed with the community in mind, including working with developers and mama whenua to ensure that the vision for the area is delivered. Council will contribute to and facilitate open spaces and amenities in the area. 

The Infrastructure Acceleration Fund (IAF) is a government investment fund that invests in infrastructure to support new housing developments in areas that face the biggest housing supply and affordability issues in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The IAF was open to territorial authorities, developers and iwi to apply for councils to be funded for transport, three waters or flood-management projects needed to service the development of new or additional housing in the short to medium term.

The Infrastructure Acceleration Fund has committed $10.9m to the Waipukurau South Growth Precinct. The balance of costs for the project will be met by developers, through development contributions, and by Council from funds that were already set aside for infrastructure improvements in the area in Three Year Plan. The Council contribution is limited to the infrastructure improvements that benefit the wider community.

One of the key principles shared by both Kāinga Ora (as the fund administrator) and Council, is that developers are expected to pay for their fair share of the infrastructure development costs. All developers within the precinct are required to pay development contribution fees that are set in accordance with our Development Contributions Policy 2024. This policy ensures that developers pay a fair and equitable proportionate of the costs required to upgrade assets and services provided by Council as a result of development.

The Waipukurau South Development Project is a long-term development plan with a 15-20 year time frame. At this stage of the project, we are looking at core infrastructure that will support long term sustainable growth. We are also formalising a structure plan and District Plan provisions to ensure development aligns with the building of infrastructure. This is to ensure future development is well coordinated and developers can proceed with certainty and confidence.

The overall programme of works includes seven individual projects including transport, three waters and flood management. To keep up to date with the individual projects you can bookmark this webpage.

There are seven individual projects that will service the Waipukurau South Growth precinct and the wider community. These projects have varying start and finish dates over the next four years, with some projects still in the planning stage.

• Transport Upgrades
• Wastewater Treatment Plant Capacity Improvements
• Wastewater Network Upgrade Travistock Rd
• Water Supply
• Water Network Upgrade
• Northern Attenuation Basins & Stormwater Network Upgrades, Basin 1 & 2
• Northern Attenuation Basins & Stormwater Network Upgrades, Basin 3 & 4
• Southern Attenuation Basin

Developers will decide how their sites will be developed but within the normal parameters of the building and resource consents rules and Council’s District and Long-Term Plans. Its expected that a mix of housing types will be delivered over time in the Precinct.

Tamatea’s treaty settlement entity, Tamatea Pōkai Whenua (TPW), is as a key strategic partner in the project. Council has worked alongside TPW and mana whenua representatives from the funding application stage through to development of a structure plan and consultation on individual projects as they are consented and constructed.

No. Because of the close proximity to the town centre, the structure plan under development does not include any commercial zoning for shops or other commercial activities.

The Council is in regular contact with the Ministry of Education who is responsible for ensuring schools are able to cater for population growth.

You can check in on progress at Let’s Talk CHB and website updates. You can ask a question or email any queries to: customerservice@chbdc.govt.nz