Yours . . . for a cool $12m
Resort-style property has hosted international sports stars poolside
Astunning architectural home that could be mistaken for an art gallery or a resort has come on the market.
Owned by former Saatchi & Saatchi boss Kevin Roberts, the bold Remuera home sits on more than 3500sq m of lush gardens, has its own tennis court and indoor squash court.
The Portland Rd home, with a CV of more than $12 million, was designed in the 1990s as a family home — perfect for Roberts’ then teenage children.
It was also the perfect venue for entertaining with several All Blacks teams, Grant Dalton’s sailors, Australian cricketers, the Kangaroos and the Fijian touring side among those who have sat poolside at the luxury pad.
“It was designed to be a resort where we could bring up three teenage kids, host our hoped-for grandchildren, entertain friends, host business events and enjoy New Zealand’s four seasons with indoor and outdoor spaces,” Roberts said.
“Several leading tennis players, including Monica Seles, have had a hit on the tennis court.”
The home has plenty of spaces to display artwork inside and out — a true ad-man’s house.
“It was built to feature inspirational and uplifting pieces from the worlds of art, music and sport — all celebrating freedom, achievement, optimism and creativity. To stimulate the creativity inside everyone who visited the house.” Roberts, who courted controversy for comments about gender equality in the workplace, left Saatchi and Saatchi in 2016 and is now focused on Red Rose Consulting — a coaching and counselling service on leadership, marketing and creative thinking.
Roberts said he was selling because his children were now living all over the world and he was travelling.
“The house has now outgrown us so we’ll be looking to downsize to a smaller space to run Red Rose from in Auckland.”
The five-bedroom, six-bathroom home is in double grammar zone. Agent Richard Hart said it included a games room with gym and “fully equipped bar flowing out to an impressive swimming pool and tennis court”.
Roberts said it was impossible to pick a favourite room in the house he had owned for two decades.
The art gallery, the library, and the fairy shed where Roberts’ eight grandchildren have enjoyed story times over the years are just some of the top spots.
“Close family and extended family love the place.”
The house is for sale by tender closing March 21. A large operation was under way in Devonport, Auckland yesterday after a Queensland fruit fly was found in the suburb on Thursday.
By last night, no further signs of fruit flies had been found, but action was stepping up against the risk to the country's fruit and vegetable crops and horticultural exports valued at $6 billion.
Biosecurity New Zealand started increasing the number of traps to 150 within 200m of the find. Further traps will be added in a 1.5km radius.
The goal is to determine if the fruit fly is a solitary find or part of an incursion. If a population is found, work will progress to eradicate it.
A field crew of 35 people were yesterday visiting local properties, checking for fruit trees, vegetable gardens and compost facilities that could provide a habitat for fruit flies.
Fruit and vegetable samples were being taken from home gardens to check for fruit fly contamination.
More than 20 Biosecurity NZ staff from Wellington arrived in Auckland to help and a mobile field laboratory was set up at Devonport Naval Base.
On Friday, Biosecurity NZ imposed a ban on taking fresh fruit and vegetables outside an area covering Devonport, Cheltenham and part of Stanley Point.
In a small Zone A area around Devonport village, no whole fresh fruit and vegetables, except leafy vegetables and root vegetables, can be moved outside the area. In the wider Zone B area, the restrictions only apply to fruit and vegetables grown within the zone.
Biosecurity NZ spokeswoman Dr Catherine Duthie said it is likely the restrictions will be in place for at least several weeks.
Full details of movement controls are at biosecurity.govt.nz/fruitfly.