Bayview Development

The client

Bayview Nelson are a group of developers in Nelson. Several of the shareholders have worked with Land Dimensions on previous successful developments, often with tricky hill sites, and the group have kept the same team for this project.

Our client is developing a hill site, overlooking the port in Nelson, that covers two titles of 40 hectares and 45 hectares. The site is to be developed into a premium residential subdivision with the aim of giving each section a scenic view.

The challenge

The titles to be developed cover approx. 300 sites, each averaging between 600m² and 1200m². Each site has been developed with an earthwork pad of 400-500m² on which to build on. Land Dimensions were engaged to do concept earthwork layout designs along with servicing options to give the best yield of sections on the site. They needed to work in closely with the local Council to ensure the roading and layout patterns fitting in with the District Plan rules and the landscape overlay rules. They also needed to carefully factor in the client’s brief to create a high-end development catering to the views and offering a view on every site.

With all hill sites, geotechnical factors need to be carefully considered and stormwater management is crucial. The bottom of the site reaches close to sea level with the state highway running between the site and the sea. An existing stormwater pipe was in place under the road, but this was no adequate to deal with the increased demands of the development. Stormwater ponds had been proposed but were not possible with the geotechnical concerns with the site. Providing adequate servicing to such a large site required careful planning.

The solution

This was not a straightforward development for Land Dimensions. They needed to be flexible throughout the whole design process and often needed to find different ways of doing things.

Land Dimensions worked closely with NZTA to upgrade the existing underground stormwater pipe beneath the state highway to provide two stormwater outlet crossings into the sea.

Working closely with geotechnical engineers, Land Dimensions remained flexible to modify the earthworks design as new geotechnical data on the site became available. This was an evolving process and as more geotechnical data became available the designs were modified to stabilize the ground for it to be built on. The lower section of the site is serviced by the council’s town water supply; however, the top of the site had no services. Water tanks will be installed further up the site for water to be pumped up to and then fed back down to the upper sites.

Land Dimensions have designed the earthworks so the development blends into the landscape. To complete the earthworks for the development over 400,000 cubic meters of earth will be moved but this has been done in such a way that the sections mold into the hillside and to look at the finished site you wouldn’t know extensive earthworks had been completed. Land Dimensions have been successful in creating a layout that provides a good yield of sections for the developer while giving each site a view and a flat pad of 400m² to 500m² to build on.

The first stage of construction has finished with titles expected for the first 16 lots before Christmas. Earthworks for the rest of the site is due to be completed in the next 18 months and civil construction has started on stages 2, 3 and 4.

Land Dimensions have continued to work closely with the client throughout the process, holding weekly meetings to review progress. This project has remained fluid with Land Dimensions providing ongoing design changes as needed, considering feedback from the urban design panel and in consultation with Council and for variations to consents and new consent applications. The development is already proving popular with many sites selling before they’ve even gone to market