New Zealand’s most successful coastal community.

In 2000, South Island developer John Darby and partners identified the potential to develop a high-quality coastal planned community north of Auckland. Part of the Omaha Peninsula had been developed in the 1970s, leaving the southern half undeveloped. Consultants Boffa Miskell were retained to develop a destination community that would meet the high standards of the restrictive Resource Management Act and Rodney District Council. The goal was to create New Zealand’s premier coastal community.

Planning Principal Ewen Henderson and urban design Principal Doug Leighton led this project, which received the New Zealand Property Council’s top award in 2005. Omaha South was designed to protect the areas natural environment, cultural resources and reinforce the existing community. An extensive engagement process with neighboring property owners and iwi (Maori tribes) helped form the vision and design principles.

A large wetland conservation area was protected and dedicated to the Department of Conservation. The existing community golf course was expanded as a buffer zone and a failing sewage plant re-built and improved. Extensive native re-planting was undertaken and a network of trails and recreational amenities created. Doug developed design concepts for four neighborhoods and proposed mixed-use village, including a wide variety of housing types and innovative subdivision plans connecting to the beach and between neighborhoods.

Doug also developed privately-administered design guidelines and served on the community design panel from 2003 to 2007. Omaha South has become well-known for it’s modernist architecture, with award-winning examples from a who’s who of New Zealand architects.

The community has been a conservation, design, planning, community, and financial success. It has focused coastal development around high quality infrastructure; and generated environmental and economic benefits for the surrounding area including the town of Matakana.