Work begins at Griffiths Ave development

ŌCHT is building 13 new homes on Griffiths Ave, Christchurch.

Ōtautahi Community Housing Trust (ŌCHT) will provide more warm, dry and energy-efficient homes for single people and couples at a redeveloped former social housing site on Griffiths Avenue, Christchurch.

Contractors have begun site work ahead of building a new community of 13 one-bedroom homes, each designed to achieve a New Zealand Green Building Council Homestar rating to be warm, dry and economical to run for years to come.

ŌCHT chief executive executive Cate Kearney says the homes add to the legacy of nearly 80 years of city council-owned social housing on what used to be known as the Sandilands social housing community.

There were four unoccupied, 2-bedroom properties on the site when the Trust bought the land from the council in 2024. The council decommissioned and subdivided the land for development.

The new-look community of single storey units is built as three blocks, with a central car parking area.

The design draws on innovations from previous ŌCHT projects, with durable, low-maintenance materials providing thermally efficient and sustainable homes. Each home maximises its space with open plan living and private courtyards.

“As with all our developments, we’re careful to balance housing with public and private outdoor spaces, to ensure we’re building a liveable, shared community for the people who’ll live here,” Ms Kearney says.

“At Griffiths Avenue, we’ll provide homes that will support people’s wellbeing, that are warm, dry and affordable to live in, and that will remain valuable community assets for many years to come.

“These will be warm, dry and healthy homes built for the future, in a setting that encourages a sense of community. It’s about delivering quality housing while supporting tenants to thrive in an environment they’re proud to call home.”

The Griffiths Avenue development offers tenants convenient access to key amenities, including Pages Road bus routes, parks and recreational facilities, local rugby league and bowls clubs, Eastgate Shopping Centre, schools, medical facilities and supermarkets.

The community is designed by Gravity Architecture and will be built by Consortium Construction. Both have worked with ŌCHT on other developments that have set new benchmarks for community housing.

The homes should be ready by for their first tenants in mid-2026.

The Christchurch City Council operated social housing on the site before the property was decommissioned and subdivided for redevelopment, recognising the site’s potential to provide modern, efficient homes as part of its Social Housing Asset Management Plan 2020.

Two of the old buildings that will soon make way for 13 new warm, dry homes at ŌCHT’s new Griffiths Avenue development.