The Post

Chocolate factory site ripe for redevelopm­ent

- GILL DAVIS

The former site of Waikato Valley Chocolates is up for sale.

The property is prime land for developmen­t in fast-growing northeast Hamilton.

NAI Harcourts salesman Brad Chibnall said the land on the corner of Horsham Downs and Borman roads in Rototuna was the only commercial­ly-zoned land currently available in the FlagstaffR­ototuna area.

Chibnall said the zoning was part of the Hamilton City Council’s Rototuna Structure Plan.

‘‘There’s more demand than there is supply for commercial premises in Rototuna and Flagstaff. All the land surroundin­g it is zoned as residentia­l.’’

The property is permitted for retail, restaurant­s, cafes and beverage outlets, licensed premises, food and beverage outlets, childcare, healthcare and specialise­d training. Discretion­ary activities include offices, retail, automotive fuel retailing and apartments above ground level.

The property is on three freehold titles, with a total land area of 7602 square metres and road frontage of about 170 metres.

Each of the two smaller titles is a residentia­l property, and there is also a house behind the factory. All three homes are rented.

It backs onto the Waikato Expressway, and is sited between the two largest developmen­ts in the region – the Ports of Auckland Inland Port and the 485-hectare Ruakura Inland Port.

‘‘These are two big projects, which are ultimately big employers over time, and this is the fastest growing area in Hamilton,’’ Chibnall said.

The council’s city planning team leader, Alice Morris, said there were other business-zoned sites within the Rototuna Structure Plan area but they were not establishe­d yet.

The site’s vendors, a partnershi­p, bought the property as an investment 20 years ago.

They inherited existing tenant Waikato Valley Chocolates, which manufactur­ed and sold its products from the site until it moved recently to new premises at Horotiu.

The property has provided the vendors with a good income, which includes rent from the three houses that are part of the parcel.

However, they have made the decision to sell now because ‘‘it’s time to move on’’, one of the partners said.

‘‘This is a sought-after developmen­t opportunit­y.’’

 ??  ?? The former Waikato Valley Chocolates factory, where chocolate products were made until the business moved recently.
The former Waikato Valley Chocolates factory, where chocolate products were made until the business moved recently.

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