The Government has announced plans to sell land to property developers to build a mixed-model subdivision outside Christchurch in a bid to ease the city's housing shortage.
Former farmland now owned by the New Zealand Transport Agency has the potential to hold 275 houses.
Housing Minister Nick Smith says the subdivision will contain a mix of private and community housing aimed at addressing shortages created by the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes.
"We think the real key to the future is actually getting the private sector to partner with the community organisations and the Government to do a big housing development like the 275 houses proposed on this site," Dr Smith says.
"It's a big development, there's a lot of work to do to get the infrastructure, the roading, the water, the sewerage, the electricity, the telecommunications in.
"Today we are announcing, with the private sector, that that is the intention for this land and it's now a matter of progressing at pace."
Developers can tender for the work until March and the outcome will be announced in May.
Dr Smith expects new housing to be available from 2015, subject to Cabinet approval.
