“The Government has approved an application by Counties Manukau DHB to release vacant land at the Manukau SuperClinic Browns Road site,” says Dr Coleman.
“It makes sense for DHBs to sell land they don’t need for future use as it allows them to reinvest the proceeds into new or upgraded health facilities.
“The application comes as a result of the DHB developing its long-term investment plan which looked at future population growth and forecast health service demand and subsequent need for land and capital investment.
“The plan confirmed that there is sufficient remaining land on the Manukau SuperClinic site to meet future health requirements with a focus on ambulatory, elective, rehabilitation and community health and wellbeing services.
“The vacant land would also not be suitable for a second acute hospital if the district needed it going forward.
“Following an additional review and public consultation the DHB has declared two parcels of land surplus to their requirements.”
Dr Smith says housing issues are impacting on people’s health and it makes sense for areas such as this, which are not needed in the foreseeable future, to be freed up for additional homes.
“The next step will be finalising a fair market price for my ministry to secure the land from Counties Manukau Health and adding it to the Government’s Crown land housing programme. We will be exploring with Auckland iwi the opportunity to partner with them on the proposal to develop the area for housing,” says Dr Smith.
“This new site adds to the other sites we have secured to date under the Crown land programme, which is just part of a wide range of reforms and initiatives to address Auckland’s housing challenges. We have increased the new house build rate in Auckland from 10 per day to 40 per day. This initiative will help maintain this momentum.”
