Applicant
Cambridge Homes NZ Limited & Vishal Agarwal and Jagadeesh Kunda
Case number(s)
202000831
Decision date
Type
Decision
DecisionConsent granted retrospectively
Sections 12((a) and 12((b) Overseas Investment Act 2005
Decision MakerOverseas Investment Office
Decision Date15 July 2021
Pathway(s)Residential land development (Increased housing - One-off purchase)
InvestmentAn overseas investment in sensitive land, being the acquisition of interests in approximately 0.1012 hectares of residential (but not otherwise sensitive) land at 4 Cambridge Road, Manukau (the Land).
Consideration$1,370,000 for the initial purchase of the Land
Withheld under s9(2)(b)(ii) of the Official Information Act 1982
Applicants

Cambridge Homes NZ Limited
New Zealand (100%)

Vishal Agarwal and Jagadeesh Kunda
United States of America (100%);

Vendors

Gagan Saxena
(vendor of shares in Cambridge Homes NZ Limited)

Kay Edith Savage
(vendor of the Land to Cambridge Homes NZ Limited)

Background

To meet the increased housing test, the Applicants propose to remove the existing dwelling on the Land and construct six new residential dwellings.

We consider that the Investment is likely to:

  • meet 1 or more of the increased housing outcomes, being an increase in the number of residential dwellings constructed on the residential land;
  • meet the on-sale outcome, which means that after completing the development the Applicants must on-sell all interests in the residential land by 30 June 2026; and
  • meet the non-occupation outcome, which means the Applicant and certain related persons must not occupy the Land.

Vishal Agarwal and Jagadeesh Kunda (overseas persons) sought consent to acquire 24.5% each of the shares in Cambridge Homes NZ Limited (CHNZ), which owns an interest in the Land.

A retrospective consent was also required as, at the time CHNZ purchased its interest in the Land in December 2020, the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) considers that it was acting in as associated capacity with overseas persons (Vishal Agarwal and Jagadeesh Kunda). The Applicants satisfied the OIO that the breach was inadvertent and that CHNZ did not realise that consent was required at this time. CHNZ has paid an administrative penalty imposed under the Act.

More informationChristina Lefever
Lefever Law
christina@lefeverlaw.co.nz
Retrospective penalty$20,000