Willowridge to develop BP’s Ardmore St site

WANAKA

A ‘‘VERY highquality development to enhance the Wanaka central business district” has been tipped to be the longterm replacement for the BP 2Go service station, which closed yesterday.

Willowridge Developments director Allan Dippie confirmed he planned to buy the former BP Ardmore St site, but not before BP had removed the fuel tanks and remediated the site, he said.

Options for the development of the site of the former Ardmore St service station included a retail and hospitality development with a boutique hotel above and parking underneath.

‘‘Sites of this size are rare in the CBD and a highquality comprehensive development will be a welcome addition to the Wanaka town centre,’’ Mr Dippie said.

At this stage there were no fixed plans, but Willowridge might rent the existing buildings out for an alternative use or uses in the short to medium term, he said.

Earlier last month, the Otago Daily Times revealed the eight remaining staff at BP 2Go in Ardmore St had applied for jobs at the new BP Connect in the Three Parks development, but none were successful.

Yesterday, the new BP Connect staff were on site and the last section of the concrete driveway had been laid in preparation for its opening to the public at 8am this morning.

Mr Dippie described the Three Parks BP as ‘‘probably the bestlooking BP in the country’’.

‘‘We are delighted with the design and the landscaping . . . and to welcome another highquality development to Three Parks,’’ he said.

PHOTO: KERRIE WATERWORTH End of an era . . . All quiet on the front at the Wanaka BP service station in Ardmore St yesterday, on its last day of operation before closing permanently.