Infrastructure Acceleration Fund (IAF)

Infrastructure Acceleration Fund – stormwater and wastewater enabling infrastructure

The Infrastructure Acceleration Fund (IAF) is a funding initiative to help unlock development opportunities and enable more homes to be built.

In Lower Hutt, this project is enabling major water infrastructure upgrades including pipelines, pumping stations, and storage tanks to support future housing.

Benefits

This project is crucial for Lower Hutt’s future. Here’s how it will help:

  • More homes for our growing city – this infrastructure will pave the way for over 3,500 new homes, including higher-density and more affordable housing options.
  • Better infrastructure – an added benefit of upgrading our stormwater and wastewater systems is that it will help prevent flooding and improve overall reliability.
  • Future-proofing our city – these improvements will support the city’s long-term growth and ensure our infrastructure keeps up with demand.

Project design 

We’ve followed a robust assessment  process to systematically evaluate potential options. This process includes input from key stakeholders and technical experts through a series of collaborative workshops.

Options were assessed against essential criteria, eliminating those that did not meet project objectives. This has led to the selection of a preferred option.

The proposed route includes some areas of Kings Crescent and Pretoria Street, connecting to Te Awa Kairangi and the Western Hills sewer main.

The proposed route is outlined in the image below, showing the connection to the planned infrastructure for the Te Awa Kairangi (RiverLink) project.

IAF Proposed Route Map

The project will now move into a detailed design, consenting and construction approvals phase, and is expected to be ready for construction works in late 2026.

We recognise this project will impact some private properties and acknowledge the concerns this may bring. Our team is committed to working closely with affected property owners as we identify the next steps.

Timeline

  • The IAF project is currently in the pre-implementation phase, which includes detailed design, consenting, property assessment and construction planning.
  • An update on the final route is expected mid-late 2025, with confirmation of the consent level design.
  • Construction is currently scheduled to begin in 2027.

For more information

  • If you have any questions, you can reach the project team at IAF@huttcity.govt.nz