Council selling Richmond chunk

Tasman District Council is selling a piece of land it owns in Richmond and hopes it will go for more than $1 million.

The property on the corner of Salisbury and Champion roads is between the aquatic centre and the shopping centre that includes Raeward Fresh and Couplands.

Council property manager Jim Frater said funds from a sale could be used to offset money borrowed to buy the $2m Rob Roy site next the council offices in Queen St.

The 6200 square metre section for sale is part of a 1.8-hectare site the council has owned since the 1970s which used to have a Richmond Borough Council parks and reserves depot. The land became surplus to the council’s requirements and was zoned tourist services, Mr Frater said.

The council looked at options for getting developers to build on the site but when the sharemarket dipped so did interest in it.

The council had decided to look at divesting it and had appointed Colliers International as agents for the sale.

Colliers representative Tony Gowans said there was little demand for the tourist services zone, especially for a 6200sqm area, but it was a strategic site and could be a residential/commercial mix.

A change would need council approval.

Mr Frater said if a buyer’s proposal did not meet the current zoning an application could be made to the council for a consent which might be notified or nonnotified.

The 1.8ha site has a land value of $1.4m. The council would expect to get more than $1m for property. he said.

If it sold the money could be used to invest in other property or to offset loans such as on Rob Roy property.

Another property the council held where it was considering development options was on the corner of Tahi St and Aranui Rd in Mapua.

While it was at the conceptual stage, a possibility was a twostorey motel and conference complex, Mr Frater said.