Riccarton Town houses

…new townhouses on a site allowed for a single house only.

Issues

• Restrictive planning zone rules for one house only
• Small site
• Busy road with significant road noise traffic.

Innovative Solutions

• Exceeded permitted city plan allowance – split site into 4 parts with common driveway and garaging.
• Maximize site for sunlight – centralizing common garaging allowing for separate private north facing quiet courtyards.
• Appropriate zoning of rooms – services located on road side to block out noise, while open plan living was north facing.
• Reduce earthquake risk – substituted part of the house for weatherboards from brick veneer without changing existing footings.

All four townhouses were leased within 1 week on the market which demonstrates a shortage of good designed homes.