Whakatane land block a ‘Keepa’
A substantial landholding, which delineates the residential component of Whakatane from its industrial and “big box” retail precincts, is now for sale.
The 7.44ha landholding, at 23 and
45 Keepa Rd, is adjacent to S H 30, and zoned for light industrial use under the Whakatane District Council plan.
However, there is the potential the land could be used for residential development, a retirement village or Whakatane’s first Kiwi Build project.
A plan change to rezone the land residential has been progressed to a pre-hearing stage.
The substantial paddock block — which encompasses two titles — is now being marketed for sale as one entity at auction at 1pm, on December
12, through Bayleys Tauranga. Salespeople Larissa Reid and Rhys Mischefski point out that utility services are available on the perimeter of the property.
“Located to the north-west of the town centre, the Keepa Rd block is bordered by properties on all sides sustaining a variety of uses — from pastoral grazing and cropping activity through to retail and light industrial tenancies,” says Reid.
“The corner-site location will benefit future retail tenancies through high exposure to traffic using SH30, while also providing instant access to the town’s main arterial route.
“Directly across the road on the SH30 frontage is The Hub Whakatane ‘big box’ retail shopping centre — containing large footprint tenancies such as Harvey Norman, Farmers, Rebel Sports, Briscoes, Bunnings, and Kmart. Behind the Keepa Rd bare block are a range of industrial tenancies sustaining the town’s automotive sector, along with the local branch of national building supplies firm ITM,” Reid adds.
“Meanwhile, on the Keepa Rd eastern frontage, a large strip of land adjacent to the Whakatane River is zoned for rural purposes and used for grazing.
The land contains a large stormwater pumping station and water holding area specifically constructed to manage stormwater from the site being marketed.
Keepa Rd is the main access route into the suburbs of Piripai and Coastlands. An alternative commercial development masterplan for these plots could see the creation of a terraced-style neighbourhood retail centre sustaining the likes of a boutique fruit and vegetable minimart, hair salon, bakery, convenience store diary, and fast-food premises.”
Mischefski says subject to an almost completed plan change, the site could sustain a residential subdivision or retirement village.
With residential zoning, the greenfield land would be amply suitable for establishing Whakatane’s first Kiwi Build enclave.
“There is demand for more affordable housing — so we’re expecting interest from two substantially different buyer markets for the Keepa Rd sites.”