By Louise Ternouth
The TV show The Block is setting up in Point Chevalier, Auckland for the second time and residents have mixed feelings about it.
MediaWorks' show The Block. Photo: screenshot / 3Now
Four two-storey houses are going up on Huia Road, where the show is expected to take place.
However some residents have been concerned about the extra noise and traffic as work starts to pick up.
The increase in traffic will impact road safety for parents and students, said Point Chevalier School Principal Stephen Leithbridge.
"The programme does generate a lot of people driving around and having a look and a lot of our parents and lots of kids actually cycle and walk to school. We will just be talking to our kids about making sure that they are always safe looking out for traffic."
The show was filmed just 400m from the school in 2014.
One Huia Road resident was concerned for her children's safety with more vans down the street.
"We have kids and we ride to school and scoot up and down the street so, at the moment with all the tradie vans, it is a little sketchy and I am a little bit nervous about what is going to happen once they start filming."
She said the vans were also taking up the street parking.
"You get rubberneckers as well ... we get off-street parking but if people want to come and visit then they have to find somewhere else."
Signs saying "Resident parking only, strictly no construction parking" were put up last week but were flattened in a day or two.
However, not everyone felt affected by the new site.
Twisted Tomato Cafe owner Cameron Wong, whose shop is on the street in front of Huia Road, said he wasn't concerned.
"During the day time you can't hear it much anyway, so I mean I drove past I think one time, it's not close but it's not very far either."
Noise was one of the main issues according to resident Peng Mee Teo.
"It's a nuisance because according to the council they are supposed to start work at 7.30am but before 7am they are already here, so noisy, they didn't follow the councils rules because they have money, they have power, they just do it."
A spokesperson from The Block told RNZ they "always work closely with the council to minimise disruption to local residents with guidelines around noise, parking and working times. They met with residents to establish a process so they may address any concerns and deal with them promptly."
Filming is expected to start in a few months.
