BAY WATCH

A property developer and his family find magic at Moonlight on a steep section overlooking the Tasman

When Nicky and Ben Lee first saw a Raglan section for sale they were undeterred by the fact that the compact site had never been built on, despite a few local builders previously owning it with plans to do exactly that.

Perched high above Moonlight Bay, with 180-degree views across Raglan Harbour, the setting is spectacular. But the site was, and still is, incredibly steep.

“Every inch had to be excavated,” explains Ben. “You could hardly walk on it.”

Rising to the challenge Ben, a property developer and carpenter enlisted the help of his frequent collaborator, architectural designer Tane Cox of Red Architecture, and tackled the project head on.

“Out of those tensions you become creative with your solutions,” says Ben. “You build your way out of it.”