30 Apr 2012

Chatham Islands housing project to open soon

7:15 pm on 30 April 2012

A Maori Trust on the Chatham Islands is to make a decision on Monday night, as to when its housing project for families and kaumatua will be officially opened.

Last year Ngati Mutunga O Wharekauri Iwi Trust secured more than $800,000 of government funding to build new accommodation for its people.

The funding matched money that the Trust raised.

Chairperson Deborah Goomes says the building of three three-bedroom houses and two kaumatua flats that began in November is almost complete.

She says late last week the Trust's Housing Committee did a final inspection of the five dwellings and signed them off.

A grant from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority means all the houses and flats are fitted with solar heating.

Ms Goomes says it has been a wonderful journey for the Iwi Trust and the wider community.