Ohinewai Estate Design Guidelines
Riverfront Lifestyle Living
Ohinewai Estate offers a rare opportunity to create homes of distinction on expansive 5000sqm sections overlooking the majestic Waikato River. These design guidelines have been carefully curated to protect the character and value of the estate, ensure quality living environments, and celebrate the natural beauty and serenity of this unique riverside setting.
1. Site Orientation & House Positioning
Homes must be positioned to maximise river views. Priority should be given to ensuring living areas and outdoor entertaining zones are oriented to the north and west to capture sunlight and take in the Waikato River outlook.
The garage should be placed on the southernmost side of the site where practical, to keep the northern and river-facing aspects open for primary living.
Outdoor living areas and landscape design must consider privacy, sunlight, and uninterrupted views toward the river corridor.
2. Streetscape Presentation
Houses must positively address the street with clearly visible front doors, a dedicated pedestrian path, and active frontages.
Avoid blank street-facing walls. Living rooms or windows should be placed to overlook the street where logical.
Clotheslines must be located to the rear of the dwelling, screened from the street and any shared public view.
Landscaping must include planting along the road frontage to contribute to the estate’s presentation and street appeal.
Hedging to the front gate may not exceed 1.5 metres in height, to maintain openness and connection with the wider community.
Compliant rural letterboxes must be installed and registered with NZ Post.
3. Architectural Form & Roof Design
Homes should feature simple, refined roof forms that elevate key features like the entry and living zones.
Mono-pitch, gable, or skillion roofs are encouraged, provided they include multi-plane or valley roof lines to break up mass and avoid flat single-plane forms.
Single-plane rooflines are not permitted. Designs must incorporate multiple roof planes or valleys to add architectural interest and scale.
Hip roofs are discouraged, and no hip roofs may face the street. However, low-pitch hip roofs under 10 degrees may be allowed if not visually prominent from the road.
Rooflines should be designed to appear lightweight and modern, with less dominance over garages.
4. Dwelling Size Requirements
To maintain a consistent standard of quality and scale within the estate, all homes must be a minimum of 260sqm, exclusive of garaging.
Larger dwellings are encouraged where appropriate for site proportions and to maximise the lifestyle offering of the 5000sqm sections.
5. Driveways & Surfacing
All driveways must be paved using concrete, exposed aggregate, or other high-quality materials.
Driveway construction must be completed within 12 months of the dwelling receiving its Code Compliance Certificate (CCC).
6. Materials & Cladding
A mix of high-quality, modern cladding materials is encouraged to add texture, depth, and architectural interest.
All lintels must be clad in the same material as the wall unless featured architecturally.
Acceptable materials include: vertical timber, modern weatherboards, painted brick, cement-based panels, metal cladding, and other contemporary finishes.
No second-hand or reclaimed materials are permitted for use on homes or outbuildings.
No relocated or second-hand buildings may be brought onto any lot.
7. Colours & Finishes
A bold, modern colour palette is encouraged: deep charcoals, crisp whites, earthy browns, sophisticated blacks, rust tones, and riverstone greys.
The use of natural timbers, accent joinery, and architectural front doors is welcomed to create a refined yet warm aesthetic.
Muted pastels, creams, and traditional cottage hues are discouraged to maintain the contemporary identity of the estate.
8. Windows & Openings
Window forms should complement the house design in size, shape, and proportion.
Windows are to overlook the street and outdoor areas to ensure active frontages and natural surveillance.
Avoid placing windows where they create privacy issues with neighbouring homes.
Highlight windows in key architectural elements are encouraged to enhance light, views, and visual interest.
9. Utilities, Services & Infrastructure
Buried water tanks are required on all lots and must be incorporated into the site layout and infrastructure plans.
All TV aerials, satellite dishes, and service units must be installed at the rear of the roof or screened from public view.
Exposed piping, electrical conduit, or gas cylinders should be appropriately concealed or integrated.
10. Outbuildings & Ancillary Structures
Sheds, workshops, or other structures must:
Be located behind the main dwelling.
Use matching cladding and colour schemes.
Be designed in keeping with the primary house architecture.
No outbuildings or storage sheds are permitted in the front yard.
Temporary dwellings (e.g., mobile homes, caravans, portacoms) are not permitted to be sited or lived in on any property.
11. Landscaping, Lawn Care & Riverfront Integration
Landscaping should be low-maintenance yet high impact, integrating native planting and feature trees that complement the rural setting.
River-facing boundaries should be designed to open up views without compromising privacy.
Retaining walls, fencing, and outdoor structures must be sympathetic to the natural river corridor, avoiding visual bulk.
Lawns must be maintained before, during, and after construction, including regular mowing of roadside berms adjacent to each property.
12. Sustainability & Liveability
Homes must be designed for thermal efficiency, with consideration for sunlight penetration, ventilation, and solar orientation.
Rainwater harvesting, solar panels, and other sustainable features are encouraged where architecturally integrated.
13. Animals & Livestock Policy
Domestic pets are allowed in accordance with urban pet ownership guidelines set by local authorities and subject to any resource consent conditions issued by Waikato District Council.
Farm animals are restricted due to the residential scale and amenity of the estate. Permitted:
Up to 2 sheep or alpaca
Up to 8 chickens, housed in a well-maintained, modern coop
Prohibited animals: Pigs, roosters, cows, horses, donkeys, or any other large or disruptive livestock species.
14. Compliance & Approvals
All completed concept plans, site layouts, elevations, and external colour/cladding selections must be submitted to the developer for review and written approval prior to submission for building consent.
The developer reserves the right to decline or request amendments to any submission that does not meet the architectural or aesthetic standards of the estate.
Submissions are to be sent to: ohinewai@saintproperties.nz