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Deconstruction
Massey Cluster – Deconstruction Overview
Massey’s homes were devastated by Cyclone Gabrielle, but the strength of the community continues to lead the way forward.
When we think of Massey, we’re reminded of the everyday magic of West Auckland. Tight-knit families, generations of shared memories, and neighbourhoods where everyone knows your name. For many of us, Massey meant backyard cricket games, potluck dinners with the whānau, and kids riding their bikes up and down familiar streets with big dreams in their eyes.
Then came February 2023, when Cyclone Gabrielle tore through Aotearoa and turned familiar places into disaster zones.
Massey was hit hard. Streets were flooded. Homes were red-stickered. Families were left to face the heartbreaking reality of displacement, loss, and uncertainty.
TROW Group understands how deeply these events affect communities. Once it was safe, our team worked in South Auckland alongside Auckland Civil Defence. We helped remove damaged furniture, clear debris, and support hundreds of whānau during the early stages of recovery. Throughout this experience, we heard powerful stories of connection to place, of family homes filled with history, and of communities doing their best to stay strong.
We are now applying that same care and experience in Massey. Our Deconstruction Methodology is designed to go beyond removing buildings. It is about recovering what still holds value and finding ways to give it new purpose. Through careful material salvage, we reduce waste and create resources that can be used again. At the same time, we are building opportunities for local employment, training, and investment back into the community.
COMBINED RECOVERY STATS
The statistics below reflect the combined deconstruction results across all five properties. Reuse refers to items recovered and sent to our reuse partners to be given a second life. Recycling covers materials sent to our recycling partners to be processed into new products or materials, such as turning timber into mulch. Hardfill refers to heavy, dense, non-organic materials that are recycled into aggregate for future use, while landfill represents general waste that could not be recovered for reuse or recycling and was sent to landfill.
Journey from start to end
6 Lincoln Garden Close, Massey
4 Meadowcroft Way, Massey
15 Clover Drive, Massey
Further Info on 1 & 2 Meadowcroft
The waste diversion results for 1 Meadowcroft Way (76.74%) and 2 Meadowcroft Way (79.74%) were influenced by the condition of the properties at the time TROW Group was contracted to undertake the work. Both homes had already been largely stripped of their recoverable materials, limiting the opportunities for further reuse and recycling during deconstruction. The properties were also in rundown condition, typical of older state housing, which further affected the availability and suitability of materials for recovery. As a result, a greater proportion of the remaining waste required disposal to landfill, contributing to diversion rates below the 80% target.
1 Meadowcroft Way, Massey
2 Meadowcroft Way, Massey
Further Info on 19 & 21 Clover Drive
The construction of 19 and 21 Clover Drive presented a different challenge during deconstruction. The wall systems incorporated high-tech polystyrene sheeting, which was used in place of a conventional timber structural frame. This material was non-recyclable through the available recovery pathways, limiting the opportunities to divert these components from landfill. Despite these constraints, both properties achieved strong overall waste diversion results, with 19 Clover Drive reaching 99.04% and 21 Clover Drive reaching 84.96%.
15 Clover Drive, Massey
19 Clover Drive, Massey
21 Clover Drive, Massey
Final Completion Works
Boundary Fence Removal and Site Preparation
Following the completion of our main works in Massey, some boundary fencing remained to be removed across the site. Further completion works and site preparation commenced on 10 August to remove the remaining fencing and tidy up the affected areas, leaving the properties in a cleaner and more presentable condition.
The attached aerial map highlights the locations of the boundary fencing removed, with the red lines indicating the areas where this work took place.
1st load to The ReCreators | 12 Aug 26
2nd load to The ReCreators | 12 Aug 26
3rd load to The ReCreators | 12 Aug 26
4th load to The ReCreators | 12 Aug 26
Reusing the Boundary Fencing
When it came to finding a new home for the boundary fencing removed during our Massey works, we knew exactly who to get in touch with. We thought of our long-time friends at The ReCreators, who love working with reclaimed fencing timber and finding creative ways to put it to use in their workshops.
We transported the fencing to The ReCreators in four separate loads, giving the timber another chance to be useful rather than sending it to landfill. The ReCreators are a West Auckland social enterprise that turn reclaimed materials into opportunities for creativity, learning and connection. Through their hands-on workshops, they help people of all ages develop practical skills, make things from salvaged materials and see the potential in resources that might otherwise go to waste.
TROW has been working alongside The ReCreators for many years, regularly passing on timber recovered from our projects to support their mahi. It’s a partnership we’re proud of because it means the materials we recover on site can go on to serve a new purpose in our community, whether that’s through a workshop, a creative project or helping someone learn a new skill.
It’s always great knowing where our recovered materials are heading and who’s going to put them to good use. We’re excited to keep working alongside The ReCreators and supporting the amazing mahi they do to keep useful materials in circulation and bring people together through creativity.
Check out the video below by The ReCreators on the delivery of the timber and exactly how it was reused – So cool!
Bollard Installation
Following 12 relocations and seven deconstructions across the Massey cluster, a significant amount of open space was left behind. To complete the works, we installed bollards along the grassed areas to help prevent vehicles from driving onto the grass and damaging the ground.
The bollards will help protect the grass as it grows back, allowing the ground to recover evenly while keeping the areas safer for the public. With vehicles kept off the grass, the ground has a better chance to settle and regenerate naturally.
This final stage brings our works across the Massey cluster to completion, leaving the areas tidy, safe and ready for their next chapter. As the grass grows back, the spaces will be better prepared for when Auckland Council has plans for it in the future.
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