3 June 2011

Work at the Helensburgh Road flats is progressing well, even though it only started a fortnight ago.

The flats are owned by a sister trust to Pact (The Ladder Trust).

Pact social housing and enterprise development manager Ferdi Koen says the first 22 units should be complete by the end of July, ready for the first tenants to move in. The units will house a mixture of Pact clients and people in need of social housing for people (those on a low income with a housing need who are not able to be helped through other providers such as Housing New Zealand and the Dunedin City Council).

The renovation work will make the units far warmer and far more sound-proof. The existing concrete block walls keep the units cool and do not block out sound. These walls are being insulated and acoustic sound barriers fitted before being gib board is added and the walls painted. Windows are being double-glazed and the ceilings have also been insulated and lowered. In the smaller units the baths have been removed and replaced with showers and the cupboards above the breakfast bar are being moved to the wall to make the breakfast bar usable.

There are 13 existing tenants and their units will be renovated later. Ferdi would like the work to be completed by the end of September.

The focus after that will be on creating a sense of community. There is a community hall on site and Ferdi envisages people getting together to chat, play card or watch television. There is also a very large garden on site which is overgrown and Pact will get that ready for summer so tenants can plant their own vegetables.