A roading project set to unlock land for up to 3000 houses, plus a new supermarket and shopping centre, is going ahead in Whangārei.

Whangārei District Council has given the green light for the Springs Flat roundabout and Gillingham Rd bridge, providing better access to land north of the city.

The key part of the project is an $18 million roundabout on State Highway 1, which will provide access to Springs Flat Rd to the west and Alcoba St in Te Kamo East.

Earthwork and drainage for the roundabout is set to start this month and be completed by November, with local firm BDX being awarded the $4.3m contract.

The second stage, the year-long construction of the roundabout, is due to start in December.

The other major part of the project is a replacement of the old, one-lane timber bridge on Gillingham Rd with a raised, two-lane concrete bridge.

The new bridge will provide access to the east and north for the development, and will connect with the Springs Flat roundabout through an extension of Beacondale Place to Alcoba St.

Whangarei District Council's image shows how the proposed roundabout for State Highway 1 at Springs Flat will unlock connected land in the area.

The $4.2 million bridge construction contract has been awarded to United Civil Construction and is due to be finished in December.

The project also includes new shared paths on Springs Flat Rd and Alcoba St, including a signalised crossing on SH1.

It is funded with the help of $10.3m from central Government’s Infrastructure Acceleration Fund.

When this was approved in 2023, the project was expected to cost $23m but is now estimated to cost $27m.

Council infrastructure committee chairman Simon Reid said the project has been under consideration for many years.

“This area has been growing fast. The increased population is starting to put major pressure on traffic flow, and the current roading situation was threatening to constrain development and growth.

“This work will enable this area to flourish at some point in the future.”

The housing development around Gillingham Rd will be driven by private property developers, but the council has a vital role to play in enabling the work by providing suitable infrastructure, Reid said.

“Much of the land in the Gillingham Rd area, north of the Waitaua Stream, is zoned for residential housing and hasn’t been developed because of the old narrow bridge.”

Reid said there are also plans for a new supermarket and shopping centre on Springs Flat Rd, next to the roundabout.

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.