Trust House chief executive Allan Pollard, left, with developer Steve Pilbrow, and then-Trust House chairman Jock Kershaw, at the planned Solway Country Estate site last year. PHOTO/FILE
Significant building activity on go
GIANINA SCHWANECKE
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The ball is finally rolling for a new 70-villa lifestyle village set to replace the Solway Park Golf Driving Range.
Work on the $37m Solway Country Estate had been expected to start earlier this year but was delayed due to issues raised by a group of neighbours, which led to a judicial review.
With agreement now reached between them and developer Steve Pilbrow, the Masterton District Council has given the project the green light to proceed.
On-site infrastructural work started last week, with the first house likely to be available for occupation as early as the middle of next year, Pilbrow said.
He said the properties were being marketed by LJ Hooker with “extremely strong interest”.
The villas would be a mix of two- and three-bedroom houses, with either single or double garages, all on freehold titles and accessed from William Donald Drive.
As part of the development, buyers would have access to membership of the Solway Country Club, which includes use of hotel facilities such as the swimming pools, gym, squash courts, and tennis courts.
The four-hectare block of land was bought from Trust House Limited, owners of the Copthorne Hotel and Resort Solway Park.
Use of the golf driving range had declined considerably in recent years and the new development is a good outcome for the community, Trust House Ltd chief executive Allan Pollard said.
“We have sold excess land to a developer to build more houses in Masterton which is experiencing a housing shortage, this makes it a very good deal for our community and its economic development.”
The development was a great example of what local organisations can accomplish by working together for the community, Pollard said.
The Solway Country Estate is just one of several subdivision and housing developments in Masterton being driven by Pilbrow’s company, Westwood Property Group.
A 40-lot subdivision on Upper Plain Rd, known as The Plains, had fully sold, while The Barracks, located off Judds Rd in Solway was “selling well”, he said.
He also expected stage one of the resource consent on the 200-lot Williams Block in Lansdowne, on land purchased from MDC, shortly.
Pilbrow said there was a significant level of residential and commercial building activity on the go in Masterton, which represented a high degree of business confidence in the district.
“The supply that is coming to the market will certainly cater for the current demand.
“I think the council deserves a lot of credit for the current growth that Masterton is experiencing. They have been very forward thinking and supportive of development. We can’t speak highly enough of them.”
Another family outlet sold by Trust. It was good family dining and lovely area for the children to play . I am sure with all the building going on in Wairarapa at present that this development was not required.