All the activity that has taken place on Paewhenua Island has been guided by a philosophy of maintaining and enhancing its sense of place. Rather than fight with the land, all work has been guided by the natural topography and enhanced by restorative planting.

Every effort has been made to ensure that each site has a private section of that beautiful land, with an unimpeded view. The placement of hedges, vineyards, access-ways and house sites is in harmony with the unique and natural topography of the island, not driven by the desire to pack as many sections in as possible. Ridges, planting and contours all help to create "natural amphitheatres" for your home. This is a return to and extension of the best traditions of coastal living, making possible a true connection to the land.

The island features a balance in the use of productive land, land for housing, and the protection and enhancement of sensitive land — all based on a detailed assessment of the environment and the land’s capability for development.

More than 200,000 native trees have been planted in recent seasons, to complement the restored wetland. A public walkway to a reserve of historical significance has been built into the overall strategy, which included consultation with local iwi and hapu, but there is no public access to the remainder of the coastline.

Good design has been central to the development: the developers have struck a balance between preserving the open space of the island, protecting residents’ privacy and, at the same time encouraging owners to build houses that reflect their individual taste and lifestyle. (There is a growing understanding of the value of good design and elsewhere, communities with strong design guidelines are attractive — and valuable — places to live.)

This is a qualitative rather than quantitative process. Paewhenua Estates has established broad design guidelines and a design committee made up of experienced consultants who will ensure building is to a high quality. (You can download by cicking here.)

To show what can be done, architect Richard Priest has developed a building prototype around a New Zealand bach vernacular that includes courtyards, sun-trapping windows and traditional materials. (You can download by clicking here.) This marks a return to the best traditions of coastal living, where the built environment sits in sympathy with the landscape rather than dominating it.