The government says it is changing how housing projects are run by using construction workers to also help build roads, rather than leaving them idle when housing work slows.

During the Budget Debate, Housing Minister Maria Browne explained that National Housing is now operating its own Roads Division, allowing workers who are not immediately needed on housing sites to be redeployed to road construction.

The move is intended to make better use of labour and speed up infrastructure work in housing developments, where roads are often one of the last elements to be completed.

Under the approach, workers normally assigned to housing construction are shifted to road projects when there is downtime between building phases. This, the minister said, helps avoid delays and keeps projects moving while maximising the use of available manpower.

Road construction has already been completed or is currently under way in several housing areas, including Cedar Valley and Pearns, where residents have long called for improved road access.

Government officials say the Roads Division allows National Housing to respond more quickly to infrastructure needs within housing developments, without waiting for separate road contracts to be issued.

The initiative forms part of a broader effort to improve coordination between housing construction and supporting infrastructure, ensuring that new communities are not left with unfinished or poorly connected roads.

The approach is expected to continue into 2026 as part of the government’s wider infrastructure and housing programme.