Students pick winning name

Students at Snells Beach School will soon be neighbours to a major housing project sitting opposite them on Dawson Road. In recognition of their proximity, they got a chance to name the development.
More than 90 students submitted names in a competition run by developer Tze Sneah and project marketer Steffan Meyer of Bayleys Warkworth.

Among the suggestions were plenty of eccentric choices such as Pizza Land, Snells Beach Cool and Ramel Riot – presumably a reference to school principal Kathryn Ramel.

But in the end, Tze and Steffan narrowed the choice to the more conservative Mahurangi Views suggested by Kasper Gibson from class Manawa 1 and Mahurangi Heights suggested by Sarah Morrison of Totara 2.

Tze says Mahurangi is an iconic name that really suited the “community feel” of Snells Beach.
“It kind of sounds good as well,” he says.

Tze has yet to decide on “Views” or “Heights”, but both Kasper and Sarah shared the winning prize, each receiving a $50 Warehouse gift voucher.

They will also have their names permanently recorded on a plaque at the development.

Second place-getter was Ciaro Ioramo of Totara 1 with “Kakariki Rise” and third place went to Lucy Cole of Manawa 1 with “Te Kapa Views.” They each received $25 Warehouse Gift Vouchers.

The civil infrastructure for the first stage of the development, which will comprise 18 houses, is now complete and the finishing touches are currently being made to the first three homes.
Stage 2 will comprise a further 70-75 houses.

Tze says the lack of construction professionals in the area means prices have risen since the project started in 2006, and he anticipates it will be more expensive to develop Stage 2.

At the same time, there appeared to be a squeeze on credit, which made it more difficult for buyers to purchase a section and build on it.

“We would have had a lot more houses built if it were not for that problem,” Tze says.
Nevertheless, Steffan says with the new Puhoi to Warkworth motorway due to be completed in the near future, it’s an excellent time to buy in the area.

“There’s a reason Pak’nSave has bought land up this way, there’s a reason why Countdown opened in the last three years and there’s a reason why Noel Leeming opened up here. They are not silly companies, they forecast where the growth is. It’s probably never going to be cheaper to buy here than what it is today,” he says.