Last convenience stop north of Hamilton aims to provide all needs
Convenience retailers are being sought to occupy a new vehicle service hub that is due for completion in October in Te Rapa, north of Hamilton, and which is anchored by a BP service station.
“Subway and The Coffee Club already signed up along with BP,” says Leon Johnson of Colliers International’s Hamilton office, who is leasing units in the Te Rapa Service Centre at 21 Hutchinson Rd, Horotiu.
“The centre will be the last service centre for 50km for traffic heading into and out of Hamilton on the new Te Rapa bypass, making it the northern gateway to the city,” Johnson says.
“It is directly connected by a dedicated slip road and roundabout to the Te Rapa bypass interchange on the Waikato Expressway. The centre will have visual exposure to 20,000 vehicles a day — a figure which is forecast to grow to 26,500 by 2021. This offers retailers a significant opportunity to capture high customer numbers in a centre which will be the major highway stop on the northern edge of Hamilton City.”
Johnson says the development will combine big-brand service station with complementary convenience retailers — a successful and proven formula that has been replicated in several locations around the country.
“Motorists will be offered a place to fill up with petrol on their way into or out of town, with the opportunity to grab a meal, snack or groceries at the same time.
“We expect strong interest for spaces in the new centre given the success of similar developments like the Bombay service centre south of Auckland.”
The centre is being developed by Greenstone Group and will comprise three separate buildings. One will house the BP service station and Subway and another is earmarked for a drive-through fast-food outlet. The third building will be leased to several convenience retail businesses.
Johnson says flexible options for retailers are available, from small units of 70 sq m up to larger 400 sq m contiguous spaces.
“The owner is taking a long-term view of the ongoing success of this centre, aiming to achieve a mix of occupiers that works,” Johnson says. “For this reason, attractive rental rates are being offered in order to attract a good range of potential occupiers.”
These could include a dairy, bakery, sushi outlet, cafe or quick-service food outlet.
“High-profile signage options will The new retail service hub at 21 Hutchinson Rd, Horotiu, Te Rapa, that is due for completion in October, benefits from exposure to expressway traffic. be available, allowing retailers to benefit from exposure to expressway traffic, as well as to the central car parking area which will provide over 100 spaces.”
Johnson says the service centre is also intended to be a convenient place for business meetings given its main road location and accessibility, car parking and cafe facilities.
He says the prime location adjacent to a major arterial road makes the centre a compelling proposition for retail businesses.
“Following the completion of the Waikato Expressway project, the New Zealand Transport Agency forecasts the Te Rapa bypass will be the dominant route into and out of Hamilton.
The Te Rapa Service Centre site is within a 52-hectare land parcel owned by Perry Group, which is proposing to build an adventure park on the site, along with possible future industrial developments.
This development will include a bike skills park, offering free-to-use mock city streets with intersections and roundabouts for young cyclists to practice and gain confidence.
The bike park will also include a mountain bike course in addition to a possible cable-wakeboarding lake and other complementary entertainment offerings.
“The owners are keen to make this site an entertainment destination in its own right and not just a highway service stop.”
The centre and bike park are also on the Te Awa cycleway, offering cyclists the opportunity to visit the bike park and mountain bike trails and access amenities at the centre as part of their cycle tour.