Pukekohe sites in hot demand
Pukekohe has reinforced its reputation as one of Auckland’s most sought-after development hot spots with a 4ha site on the town’s southwestern boundary selling for $13.2 million just before Christmas in Bayleys’ highest value auction sale of 2021.
Located in Rowles Rd, the 40,439sq m site was among 61.5ha of land suitable for housing development on the outskirts of Pukekohe sold last year by Bayleys at a total value of $107.66 million.
The Rowles Rd property, which has been in one family’s ownership for the past 27 years and is currently used for vegetable growing, went under the hammer in Bayleys’ Pukekohe auction room on December 21. Settlement will take place in June.
Bayleys’ Pukekohe-based senior commercial broker Shane Snjider, who marketed the property with Peter Sullivan and Krisitina Liu, says the land has a Residential – Single House zoning which will enable multiple standalone dwellings to be built on the site.
He says the flat, rectangular-shaped site is ideal for a residential subdivision with three street frontages providing multiple potential access points.
“Its existing residential zoning means that development can get underway once the necessary council consents have been granted and it’s in an area that has already has an established residential infrastructure in place.
“A substantial amount of new housing construction has recently been undertaken on the other side of Rowles Rd surrounding Coverlea Recreation Reserve and there are two schools and an early childcare learning centre nearby.”
The Rowles Rd transaction followed a similar property also auctioned last year by Shane Snjider at 290 Victoria St West, Pukekohe, selling under the hammer for $9.66 million including GST, also to a developer.
The 4.3504ha site, also used for vegetable growing and with three street frontages, is opposite a recently developed housing subdivision with a new school nearby.
Snjider says the property’s Future Urban zoning means there needs to be a unitary plan change before it can be developed. This accounted for the price differential between this and the residentially zoned Rowles Rd property.
Snjider and Sullivan have also sold three larger Future Urban zoned properties in Pukekohe at a combined value of $78 million plus GST if any.
These transactions encompassed two sites on Golding Rd of 21.5ha and 9ha and 18.2ha on Pukekohe East Rd opposite the Anselmi Ridge residential development.
Snjider says land zoned Future Urban on the outskirts of Pukekohe has been identified by Auckland Council as being suitable for future intensive development, predominantly to provide housing but also to include commercial and community amenities.
Snijder says the council is having to tread a fine line between providing adequate housing for the substantial population growth in and around Pukekohe without encroaching too much into the renowned vegetable growing land close to the town.
“As a consequence, the supply of development land in and around Pukekohe will remain very, very tight which is why sites with these favourable zonings are generating so much interest and competition amongst buyers.”
Bayleys’ Pukekohe and Takinini offices were also involved in a range of development site sales in other parts of South Auckland in the latter half of 2021. Sullivan says Takanini has also become a hotspot for new housing and commercial and industrial development over the last two to three years.
“Takinini is attracting a lot of young couples and families with its good mix of terrace and standalone homes plus new schools. People love the brand new Takanini village and the supercentre, Takanini is very easy to drive in and around, there’s good parking and it also offers excellent public transport options.”