One of two Western Bay of Plenty real estate developments being fast tracked through the government's special housing scheme may be the first mixed development of its kind, according to Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller.

Housing Minister Nick Smith announced on Monday a large residential development in Adler Drive, and a mixed retail/commercial and apartment development at Papamoa, are the latest plots of Tauranga land to be approved as part of the Government's Housing Accord.

Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller and Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby at the Sunshine Paradise site, Papamoa. Photo: Andrew Campbell

The Sunshine Paradise site, Papamoa will be a mix of retail/commercial and apartment development.

Something Todd believes is the first to be approved under the government's special housing scheme.

The development mix is usually decided by local council, he adds.

'The good thing from the government point of view is that the councils of the Western Bay are part of the special housing accords.

'The key opportunity there is to be able to speed up the consenting process. That means we can have more properties brought to the market quicker, and also the costs associated with that can be cheaper.”

The development known as Sunshine Paradise, is a multi-storey apartment and townhouse development on 7,356m2 of bare land. There will be 36 dwellings comprising 12 townhouses and 24 apartments.

The town houses are to be no taller than three storeys, and the Papamoa Beach Road facing apartment levels no greater than four. The Sunshine Paradise apartment building also includes ground floor retail and office space.

The other SHA approved yesterday by cabinet is the far larger development off Adler Drive in Ohauiti where about 180 houses are expected to be built on close to 14.7Ha of land, with an average section size pf about 500m2.

Both developments were opposed by neighbours because of traffic impacts. At Adler Road because of the intersection with Ohauiti road. The Sunshine Paradise development at Papamoa, concerns Percy Road residents over the impact of the development on local traffic.

The Adler Road traffic concerns can be dealt with by upgrading the intersection with Ohauiti Road, including a turning bay, pedestrian refuge and marking yellow lines to stop parking in sight lines for vehicles turning out of Adler Road.

The alterations will cost $20,000 - $30,000 and will be paid for by the developer. The speed limit on Ohauiti Road in the vicinity of the Adler Road/Boscabel intersection is under review.

Similar works are expected to be undertaken at the Percy Road/Domain Road intersection.

Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby says while the consent process is fast tracked, the developers still have to satisfy the normal resource consent process. The difference with the SHAs is there is no appeal on the resource consent decision.

Since Tauranga City Council signed the housing accord with the government in November 2014, the government has established seven special housing areas in Tauranga. The intention of the scheme is to fast track house construction as a means of lowering prices.