Ravenswood to get underway in March
Construction is set to get underway at Ravenswood next month. North Canterbury’s largest new commercial and residential development has appointed City Care to undertake the civil works for the development, with construction of the commercial precinct to start in March.
Civil works are expected to begin on site in a few weeks time and will include major earthworks, roading, services – including fibre broadband, storm water management – and the realignment of the Taranaki stream.
In addition to the appointment of City Care, Ravenswood general manager, Paul Croft, said they are making progress in a number of key areas.
‘‘We are now finalising the final loan documentation with our funding partner, Bank of New Zealand, and all our consents have also been issued,’’ Croft said.
‘‘With civil works due to start in March, we expect construction to be completed around December 2017, with titles expected shortly after.’’
The commercial precinct will feature New World, BP and McDonalds as its major anchor tenants. There will likely follow a range of other commercial developments with Croft reporting a large number of enquiries from a broad range of commercial operators.
Investor Mike Greer has recently purchased land to build two childcare centres within Ravenswood, one in the commercial precinct and one in the stage one residential area, as well as a number of stage one residential sections.
‘‘Earthworks on stage one of the residential area are expected to commence not long after the commercial,’’ Croft said.
Ravenswood now has 80 residential lot contracts in place and 26 out of the 36 light-industrial lots. One of the purchasers of a light industrial lot is Murray Powell from Motivation deSign in Woodend who will relocate his signage business to Ravenswood.
Meanwhile, Ravenswood has also recently reached agreement with NZTA on the purchase of a piece of Ravenswood land near the roundabout on State Highway 1, which will form part of the Woodend Short Eastern Bypass. The eastern bypass, not scheduled for construction until at least 2028, will provide a four-lane corridor from the current four lane motorway at Lineside Road to the entrance to Pegasus on SH1.