Waitati Lifestyle

Waitati Lifestyle

Martin Bald approached us for a follow-up loan in 2007 to complete the energy efficient home he has been building on his 5-acre property in Waitati (Otago).  All he needed to complete the house was funds for an approved septic tank system, additional plumbing and some finishing on the access road and electrical supply.

We were impressed with what Martin had achieved in building a temporary cabin, the main house, establishing orchards and a beekeeping venture over the previous six years, while also managing to repay the initial loan we had made to hime to enable him to purchase the property in 2001.

When Martin had first approached us he had wanted to buy a property and follow his dream of pursuing a sustainable lifestyle.

The property he found was in a Landscape Conservation Area with just under 4 acres of protected regenerating native bush and other restrictions as to landscaping and building design. Martin was keen to see that regeneration continue and pleased that the resource consent ensured that.

Although he has had some difficullty establishing the orchard of his dreams in the Waitati climate he has had good success,with the beekeeping venture he established while doing a correspondence course in 2003. He started at that time with just 5 hives and has now built that up to 40 hives, and in the past season has produced 750kg of organic manuka honey.

The energy efficient and healthy house he has been building is nearly finished. It has been built almost entirely from untreated locally grown Oregon and aromatic woods and is being finished using recycled windows and roofing materials and non-allergenic finishing materials in the interior. It is insulated to a high standard to make it comfortable in the southern winters with space heating provided by woodburner.

Martin had been intending to make the house fully self-sufficient with renewable electricity and solar water heating but has been strongly advised to connect it to mains electricity (which in the South Island is largely supplied by hydro) so that the property will have better rental or sale options in future.