How Tawa was built
Post-war subdivisions
From the mid-1940s a shortage of housing land in Wellington City, plus better road and rail, made Tawa a popular place for new private homes. State housing subdivisions at Kenepuru and Hampton Hill came in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and Redwood and parts of Sundale spread outward in the 1970s.
Infill on quarter-acre sections
Greenfield growth has slowed since the 1990s, but there's been significant infill as owners of older sections subdivide. Tawa had 12,654 people in 4,422 dwellings at the 2023 Census, up 1.1% since 2018.
Wellington Electricity, and some notable outages
The August 2011 snowstorm cut power to 13,000 people across Lower Hutt, Whitemans Valley and Tawa. Tawa was also on the list of areas still out the morning after the June 2013 storm. More recently, animal interference with equipment on 21 October 2024 affected up to 500 customers. Damaged lines go to 0800 248 148.
Part of Wellington City
The Borough of Tawa amalgamated with Wellington City in 1989, so Wellington City Council handles consents.
Getting power to a new home on a back section
A new house on a subdivided section usually needs its own supply, which means a new connection with its own ICP number (the number that identifies each connection). Your local lines company connects you, and your retailer arranges the meter and the power account.
The cable from the street or the front house to the new home is often run underground, and new mains work counts as high-risk work. That means a Certificate of Compliance plus an independent inspection and a Record of Inspection. Ask early how the supply will reach the back, because it affects your trenching and driveway plans.
And the house at the front
Homes from the 1950s to the 1970s often have original switchboards with fuses and few RCDs. If the front house is staying, it's a good moment to have its board and wiring checked, especially if the subdivision work disturbs its existing supply.
If we were subdividing in Tawa
We'd bring an electrician in at the planning stage, not after the foundations are poured. Where the cable runs and where the meter board sits are much easier to change on paper. Then we'd book the front-house board check in the same visit.
Want a specialist to sort it?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match the licence-checked local electrician who does this kind of work, and they call you. No ring-around, and your number goes to them alone.