Work has begun on a major new housing development in Ōtaki that will provide 46 affordable homes for local families and individuals. The project at 254 Rangiuru Road is being led by the Kāpiti Housing Solutions Trust (KHS), an independent charitable housing trust established by Kāpiti Coast District Council to... Keep Reading
Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga has marked a year of significant legal milestones and steady financial growth, according to the 2026 Raukawa ki te Tonga Trust annual report. Trust chair Rachael Selby said that at the forefront in 2025 had been the long-running Marine and Coastal Area (Maca) claim. Heard in the High Court in 2024, the case... Keep Reading
Big infrastructure works are continuing in Ōtaki, and will continue for several months yet. There are two particularly big projects – the wastewater upgrade along Aotaki Street and Mill Road, and Waka Kotahi’s revocation works along the old highway. The wastewater upgrade involves installing a new wastewater pipe to improve the capacity... Keep Reading
A shift in demographics throughout the Kāpiti district is offering new opportunities for local businesses, says Chris Wilkinson of First Retail Group. Chris was speaking at the Southward Car Museum on February 12 for the first Electra Business Breakfast of 2025. The event was titled “What is Kāpiti’s sweet spot?”. Sharing his... Keep Reading
The announcement by two regional councils confirming it was co-funding new trains for the Palmerston North-Wellington line offered no guarantee they would be hybrid electric. The trains to be purchased might still be diesel, if the price is right. And they won’t be running for at least four-and-a-half years, as revealed by Ōtaki Today in... Keep Reading
Plans for development of a new village at Ōtaki-Māori Racing Club have been submitted to the Environmental Protection Authority for consent. The plans show a concept that includes a mix of more than 500 housing units, clustered in seven zones around the racecourse on what is mostly vacant land. There are six types of housing: single-unit,... Keep Reading
When NZ Natural moved its clothing store out of Ōtaki’s Railway shopping strip recently, some locals became concerned about a retail slide, but one expert says there are positive signs. Chris Wilkinson, whose First Retail Group drafted a retail strategy for Elevate Ōtaki earlier this year, says there’s still plenty of confidence in... Keep Reading
A fleet of new trains to carry commuters between Ōtaki and Wellington will be at least five years away. The government announced recently that 18 new hybrid diesel/electric four-car trains would be introduced on the Kāpiti Coast and Wairarapa lines to replace KiwiRail’s ageing fleet. Improvements would also be made to the... Keep Reading
The Ōtaki to North Levin expressway might not be completed by the end of the decade if roading priorities for future governments shift in favour of infrastructure repair in the cyclone-ravaged north. It’s a concern for some locals as they view with sympathy the recent devastation of large swathes of the northern and eastern North Island... Keep Reading
December 23, 2022, will be remembered as the day Ōtaki regained its roads. The Peka Peka to Ōtaki expressway opened fully on that date, with the traffic along the former highway and through the Railway shopping district suddenly dissipating to a sedate trickle. Passing traffic stuck to the expressway, and Ōtaki began attracting only the... Keep Reading
With Christmas looming, it’s possible at least part of the Peka Peka to Ōtaki expressway will open for the busy holiday period. As at press time (December 12), Waka Kotahi said an announcement was imminent, but that the timeframe was still tight and the transport agency couldn’t confirm whether there would be a full opening, a partial... Keep Reading
Retailers are “cautiously optimistic” about the expressway opening and there’s big potential for the Railway shopping area to redefine itself as a vibrant destination for visitors – and as a retail, service and hospitality hub for locals. These are some of the key findings from a just-released report by First Retail Group. The report... Keep Reading
A new retail and investment strategy focused on the Ōtaki highway shopping district is being developed by First Retail Group, a Wellington-based retail strategy firm.Engaged by Elevate Ōtaki, First Retail has just begun working with local businesses and commercial property owners to see how the shopping precinct can strengthen its... Keep Reading
The number of people living in Ōtaki could be up by at least 3000 within 10 years – and at least double within 30 years – as housing stock increases. The huge growth is spurred by a $29.2 million government investment in infrastructure announced at the Ōtaki-Māori Racing Club on July 21. The funding will be delivered over the next 10... Keep Reading
The Peka Peka to Ōtaki expressway is due to open by Christmas, but by August next year, enhancement work mainly at the Railway area of Ōtaki will begin in earnest. The revocation process (see explanation panel at right) will last about two years, taking works through until 2025. It’s designed to create a more appealing urban environment... Keep Reading
Otaki Today