Final – Embargoed until release December 1 or by prior arrangement through Trio Communications

For Immediate Release

Changda launches urban transformation project in Manukau
Auckland, December 1 2016: A major housing project, that also includes potential for hotels, is
underway right next to the Vodafone Events Centre and Wero Whitewater Park.
The previously vacant 9.4 hectare site is being developed by Changda International Development
(Changda). It is a New Zealand subsidiary of a multi-billion dollar Chinese construction group that has
won awards for new construction technology and has International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
ratings for its quality, environmental, occupational health and safety systems management.
In China, Changda Construction Group is known for not only residential, but also commercial, industrial
and infrastructure development.
Group chairman Xu Pengqiang is in New Zealand to meet with Auckland Mayor Phil Goff and show him
the development at Manukau. He is accompanied by the group’s board directors and major investors
including Xue Jinxing, who has diverse education and private training businesses and is interested in
investing further in New Zealand.
Mr Xu says New Zealand is a beautiful country and its people are friendly and kind-hearted. Its economy
is running strongly compared with many other western countries and Auckland, with its urgent need for
housing, fits Changda’s vision to develop livable homes for people no matter in which country they reside.
Changda has also started earthworks on a 40ha, 500 section residential development in Orewa. Mr Xu
says he and his directors do believe there is an immediate and growing opportunity in the New Zealand
residential property sector.

 The Manukau project is called “Pacific Gardens” after its comprehensive landscaping and its planned
connections with the nearby Auckland Botanical Gardens. Pacific Gardens will be a vibrant urban
community that embraces people rather than vehicles and includes the planting of trees to produce edible
fruits. It will also have prominent greenspaces, a children’s playground and other community amenities. A
community and residents’ association will create a sustainable and quality living environment.
Pacific Gardens, which has Special Housing Area (SHA) zoning, will eventually deliver more than 1100
homes into the Auckland market. Some of those homes will be social housing and more are targeted at
first home buyers, meeting SHA requirements. A diverse mix of housing will create a similarly diverse
community with homes for professional couples, empty nesters and families across all cultures and
demographics.
The vision includes being a catalyst for urban transformation in the wider area, with the emphasis taken
off motor vehicle accessibility and put on to providing a safe, environmentally attractive and community
driven neighbourhood that successfully mixes ethnicities, ages and cultures.
The company is also in early discussions with a hotel operator and, with the site’s proximity to tertiary
institutes and transport options, the potential for a managed student accommodation block is also being
explored.
Changda’s New Zealand general manager Liu Yanbing, says earthworks commenced in October and
building of housing is expected to start in April or May next year. While stage one of the five-to-eight-year
development includes 21 terraced townhouses and 21 apartments, the target is to have some 200 homes
in the market each year. The configuration of initial homes will range from studio apartments to four
bedroomed terraced townhouses to meet the market and they are expected to start being occupied from
early in 2018.
From earthworks through to completion, Pacific Gardens is using New Zealand companies and labour. Mr
Liu says Changda’s presence in New Zealand has already created more than 200 jobs and he expects
this to grow to around 600 during the next few years.
Changda, unlike other large developers that on sell developed land packages to housing construction
companies, is fully funded to complete the entire development through to completion. Since establishing
its New Zealand office in 2013, Changda has aspired to embrace and respect New Zealand culture,
asking local iwi Te Ākitai Waiohua, Ngāti Te Ata and Ngāti Tamaoho to bless the land and to collaborate
on important cultural ingredients in the overall development master plan.

 The company is also supporting the nearby Ra Wiri Residents Association and the Wiri Central School as
its recognises the impact that more than 1100 homes will have locally.
Ends

About Changda International Development Ltd (Changda):
Changda is a large Chinese-owned property development company that is developing a large masterplanned residential community project of more than 1100 homes and hotels on 9.4 hectares at 834 Great
South Rd, Manukau. It has a sister company called Changda International New Zealand Ltd, which is
developing a 40ha residential project in Orewa.
Commencing New Zealand operations in 2013, both companies have an ultimate parent company in
China called Weifang Changda Construct Group, which was founded in 1949. Today the group is rated as
one of the Top 100 competitive construction enterprises in China and has more than 3,000 direct
employees. Last year the group’s annual turnover was around NZ$2.1 billion, primarily in the construction
sector.
Changda has ISO standards for quality management, environmental management, occupational health
safety management systems and a GB/T code for quality management of engineering construction
enterprise. Its projects range across a huge spectrum including residential, commercial, industrial and
developing infrastructure.
Changda is also at the forefront of developing new technology for the construction sector. It has 30
national patents, numerous national science and technology awards for technology innovation and in its
home province of Shandong more than 50 technology innovation awards for construction.
The wider group, which includes the two New Zealand companies, also has contracts to build
internationally including in the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Guinea-Bissau, Thailand, Guyana and Hong
Kong.

For more information contact:
Chris Jones
Changda Client Principal Representative
LandSMART Group
Mob: +64 21 989761
Email: chris@landsmartgroup.co.nz

For media inquiries:
Felicity Anderson
Mob: +64 21 22 40 520
Email: felicity@triocommunications.co.nz