Bell Road, Waiwhetu
We are building a 10-home development in Waiwhetu, Lower Hutt.
This community village will be built on the site of a former family home. The previous owner grew up here and raised her own family here. Before she passed, she requested that her children sell the property to an organisation that would create homes for those most in need in her community. Working with her daughter, Dwell was able to purchase the land and is now working to fulfil her mother’s wishes.
What is so fantastic about this site is the number of amenities it is close to. There is a great transit network, schools, and supermarkets in walking distance as well as a local Marae.
What we’re building
As with every new Dwell development, we will offer a variety of home types and sizes to accommodate a diverse range of residents. We believe that a vibrant community thrives when a variety of households come together to create ‘home’.
The Bell Road village will consist of:
Three 4-bedroom family homes
Five 2-bedroom apartments
Two 1-bedroom accessible units
This is the first time Dwell will be including 4-bedroom homes in one of our developments. We aim to accommodate larger and intergenerational families, ensuring longevity and adaptability as they grow and change over time.
The 1-bedroom units will have accessible entries (platform lifts) and internal accessible features. Each will have a carpark next to the home to make access that much smoother.
The village was designed by Nacelles Architects with simple, durable materials used in a modern way. The design ensures homes will receive maximum sunshine, and each home is set back, to give the impression of individual homes, rather than a row of terraces.
The entryways and outdoor spaces have been designed to encourage spontaneous social interactions between tenants. This will not only foster connection and community between residents but also provide passive surveillance so that help is never too far away.
Help us build a village!
We can’t wait to get this development “off the ground” but we need support to do it.
Like all community housing providers, Dwell has to raise 30% of the cost of a project before we can unlock financing for the remaining 70% and start building the development. We are well on our way to our funding goal, but need to raise an additional $500,000 to make this happen.
Bell Road blog
February 2026
A sad passing
We were incredibly saddened to learn about the passing of our Bell Road architect Huw Parslow (Nacelles Architects). Huw was a fantastic architect and a joy to work with. We know this project meant a lot to Huw as he grew up in social housing in the UK.
Dwell Project Management & Construction will be moving ahead with the project with the support of a new architect.
January 2026
All go in the new year!
The end of last year brought the accomplishment of another milestone for the Bell Road development – the selection of our design/build partner. Dwell Housing Trust has selected Dwell Project Management & Construction to lead both the design and construction stages of Bell Road. This is a new option for our Trust, and provides synergy in moving the development along at a quicker, more efficient pace and cost. While it is a coincidence that we share part of our name, it’s a smart choice for us to work with this small team of dedicated project managers to help us achieve the vision of our Bell Road project.
This year will be filled with design, engineering, consenting, and getting the basics done on site. Next year, it will quickly take shape and be ready to welcome new residents who will settle into their new secure homes and create a community in another Dwell village.
Your support along the way helps make a difference to what Dwell is able to achieve. There are a number of individuals we thank for getting us to this point, please consider joining them as a donor to this special project.
July 2025
🏡 Celebrating new homes for Lower Hutt
We are thrilled to share some fantastic news! Our 10-home Bell Road development in Lower Hutt has received a rent-subsidy funding contract offer from Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga - Ministry of Housing and Urban Development NZ. This is a significant achievement, and we are incredibly grateful for the government's recognition of the capabilities and experience of community housing providers like us.
While there are still a few steps to go before we break ground, securing this funding is a moment to celebrate. A huge thank you to Minister Christopher Bishop, Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga - Ministry of Housing and Urban Development NZ, nacelles architects, Community Housing Funding Agency and our glorious Development Manager Ingrid Irene Downey for your hard work in getting us to this point.
Let's take a moment to appreciate this success and the positive impact it will have on our community. Together, we are making a difference!
October 2024
We are thrilled to announce Resource Consent has been granted by Hutt City Council for our proposed 10-unit development in Lower Hutt. Big thanks to our hard-working, skilled partners.
Huw + Chris at Nacelles Architects
Max at SLR
Gabriela and team at ENGEO
Brad of BLAC
Gary of Traffic Concepts.
What an achievement for our partners on this project but also all our donors that make this project possible!! We look forward to creating a thriving inclusive community with warm, dry safe homes.
