Encouraging additional dwellings in Paekākāriki and beyond: Project brief

In early 2025, the Trust initiated a priority project for 2025-2028 to encourage and support the building of more additional dwellings in Paekākāriki, for the benefit of locals and those who whakapapa to Paekākāriki.

For the purposes of this project, “additional dwellings” includes incorporating a separate home within an existing dwelling and converting an existing structure into a separate home. The purpose of the project is to encourage, educate and support property owners to build additional dwellings, in order to provide more affordable and appropriate housing for people connected to the village—particularly kaumātua, young adults, single-parent families, and creatives.

The project aims to foster community understanding of the value of additional dwellings, offer practical support to build them well, and promote the sharing of knowledge, expertise and resources. Its goal is to increase the number of sustainable, future-focused, and affordable additional dwellings in Paekākāriki, enabling more people with strong connections to the village to remain in or return to our community.

By the end of 2028, the project aims to achieve the following objectives:

build: At least 10 new additional 1-2 bedroom dwellings will be built and rented out in Paekākāriki.
promote understanding: The Paekākāriki community will have an increased understanding and appreciation of appropriate, healthy additional dwellings as a way to retain and bring back mana whenua, kaumātua, young adults, single-parent families and creatives.
increase diversity in our village.
strengthen our community connections.
increase income for property owners.
encourage support: local residents and others will be inspired to support (legally, financially and/or practically) property owners who wish to build and rent out additional dwellings.
Encourage quality and compliance: there will be an increase in additional dwellings that meet the Building Act and relevant building regulations, Healthy Homes standards, and incorporate principles of sustainable, climate-conscious design.
Engage local expertise: there will be an increase in property owners who work with local subject matter experts (“SMEs”) and businesses—including agents, architects, designers, builders, planners, landscape designers, sustainability advisors, and others—to strengthen the local economy and ensure that additional dwellings are designed for and reflect Paekākāriki’s conditions and character.
Facilitate engagement with Kāpiti Coast District Council: there will be an increase in property owners (or their agents) who actively engage with Kāpiti Coast District Council (“Council”) early and throughout the design and building process to support compliance and streamline consenting.
Promote housing affordability and community benefit: there will be an increase in property owners who rent out new dwellings at below-market rates and work with PHT to create ethical, win/win rental arrangements—including property management through PHT where appropriate.
Lead by example: PHT will build and own at least one additional dwelling on a local property.
Create and share resources: a comprehensive resource package (“toolkit”) that aligns with Council’s Additional Dwelling Guide (“Guide”) will be developed and shared with the Paekākāriki community, Council, and other interested communities. This will include a project plan, video and written materials, workshop and site-visit plans, and project evaluation.

Paekākāriki’s compact footprint, existing social infrastructure, and strong local identity make it an ideal pilot for a community-led intensification model. Unlike larger developers constrained by scale and infrastructure septic limitations, individual property owners can create modest dwellings by developing innovative, site-specific solutions that retain village character while increasing housing supply.