A 29-lot subdivision beside the Wautaiti Stream that keeps Riverhead's rural character and was later named the area's best street.
- Client
- Private landowners
- Services
- Land development, three waters & bridge design
- Location
- Riverhead, Auckland
- Scale
- 29 lots · precast concrete bridge
- Status
- Complete 2012
01 / Project overview
The brief
Crabb Fields Lane is a 29-lot subdivision in Riverhead, north-west Auckland, developed by the original landowners themselves. The site sits beside the Wautaiti Stream, with forest and generous reserves around it, and the owners wanted a modern neighbourhood that kept the area's rural character.
We took the project from resource consent and engineering approval through detailed design, construction observation and final certification of the infrastructure. That meant dealing with a stream and its flood risk, getting access across it, and servicing the lots while the area's wastewater was moving from local septic systems to town sewerage.
02 / Our approach
How we delivered it
Flooding and the Wautaiti Stream
We carried out a detailed flood assessment of the Wautaiti Stream alongside the site. Its findings shaped the subdivision from the start, setting the constraints for the lot layout, the building platforms and the stream crossing.
Bridge and roading
Access to the lots meant crossing the stream, so we designed a precast concrete bridge alongside the subdivision roading. We observed both through construction, so the bridge and roads were built as designed.
Three waters and the move to town sewerage
We designed the reticulated stormwater, wastewater and water supply networks. Partway through the project, the area moved from local septic systems to town sewerage. We supported the owners with the wastewater engineering through that change, adapting the servicing so the lots were ready for the new network.
Consent to certification
We stayed involved from consent and engineering approval through to construction observation and final certification. Keeping one team on the job from start to finish meant the design intent carried through to what was built.
03 / The outcome
“In 2014, a six-month Kumeu Courier study named Crabb Fields Lane the best street in the area. The judges praised its landscaping, street network and use of services, and singled out how well the sewer migration was managed.”
04 / Gallery
■ Similar project?
Talk to the engineers who delivered this.