The University of Waikato is experiencing strong growth in both domestic and international student numbers, and with that comes increasing demand for high-quality student housing. To meet this need, construction is now underway on a new accommodation block on Knighton Road, providing 75 self-catered rooms in townhouse-style apartments.
Navigating a new planning landscape
For CKL, this project presented an opportunity to apply its expertise at a critical moment. The application was lodged just as Plan Change 12 provisions for Hamilton took legal effect at the end of 2024. These new rules, designed to enable greater housing supply and intensification, significantly altered the planning framework for all new housing projects in the city.
Our planning team worked through these fresh provisions to successfully secure the resource consent, ensuring the project could move forward without delay. At the same time, our transport engineers prepared a transport assessment that addressed connectivity, safety, and access to the wider campus and city network.
Quick Facts: Plan Change 12 at a glance
- What is it?
A major update to Hamilton’s District Plan that took legal effect on 20 December 2024, with immediate force and no appeals allowed.
- Why was it introduced?
To respond to central government’s push for more housing supply and urban intensification in fast-growing cities like Hamilton.
- What changed?
- Higher density housing now allowed near the central city, Te Rapa Road, and other key centres.
- Medium density rules apply in areas around Chartwell, Five Cross Roads, and Waikato Hospital.
- General residential areas allow two homes per site as of right, with larger projects requiring consent.
- Financial contributions (e.g. ~$4,800 per unit for a 3-bedroom house) added on top of development contributions.
- Why it matters for developers:The rules are complex and site-specific. Getting expert planning advice early is essential to avoid delays or compliance issues.
Beyond planning and transport, CKL’s surveyors provided building set-out services, a vital step in ensuring the apartments are constructed exactly to design. With multiple units and shared spaces integrated into the Student Village, accuracy at this stage is critical to the long-term success of the project.
This development has been a true team project, delivered in partnership with Chow Hill Architects, Foster Group, and Holmes. Together, the project team is creating a new student accommodation facility that complements the existing campus and surrounding residential areas while offering safe, connected, and community-focused living.
Building for the future
When completed in 2026, the 15 townhouse-style units will provide a much-needed option for second-year, returning, and postgraduate students seeking independent living. Designed with durable materials and communal layouts, the new accommodation fosters both resilience and a sense of belonging, an important factor in student wellbeing and success.
For CKL, this project represents how early, strategic planning advice helps clients navigate major policy shifts like Plan Change 12 while still delivering practical outcomes. It also highlights the value of multidisciplinary collaboration - planning, transport, and surveying - in shaping projects that will directly benefit the Hamilton community.
If you’re preparing a project under Hamilton’s new Plan Change 12 provisions, talk to CKL’s planning team early to set your development up for success.
