Mangawhai’s new town
Masterplan has industrial, retail, supermarket, retirement and residential components, reports Colin Taylor
One of New Zealand’s biggest coastal township commercial developments is planned for a 130ha greenfield site between the popular Northland seaside resort of Mangawhai Heads and Mangawhai Village, about
100km north of Auckland and 70km south of Whangarei.
The masterplan for “Mangawhai Central” envisages a light industrial business park, national brand supermarket, retail shopping centre, retirement village and residential enclave to be built on land used for grazing sheep and cattle (photo bottom foreground).
Sixteen industrial lots, within Stage One of the development, are now being offered for sale by negotiation through Henry Napier, Jan Hutcheson and Steve Orr of Bayleys in the North Commercial.
Featured in Bayleys’ latest Total Property portfolio magazine, the sites will become fully serviced properties suitable for a range of light industrial activities on completion.
The conceptual overlay plan shows the site adjacent to Molesworth Drive — right between Mangawhai Village and Mangawhai Heads.
Bayleys in the North director Mark Macky says Mangawhai Central — as its name suggests — is equidistant between Mangawhai Village, the area’s original township; and Mangawhai Heads with its newer residential properties overlooking the estuary mouth, along with the “beachside” shops catering for annual holidaymakers.
● Stage One sees the creation of a city-size supermarket, a bulk retail outlet, a light industrial precinct, childcare amenity, and petrol station. Bulk earthworks on this phase are expected to begin shortly, with individual freehold titles issued in late
2019, and the supermarket scheduled to open at the end of the next year. The Mangawhai Central masterplan shows about 2100sq m of floor area that has been allocated to accommodate
This is a long-term project to be rolled out steadily for at least the next five years. Jan Hutcheson, Bayleys
the supermarket and supporting infrastructure.
● Stage Two proposes the construction of the town centre precinct containing boutique and neighbourhood retail premises, and retirement village zones.
Future stages of Mangawhai Central will see development of residential zones within a mixed-use community with the potential for various density configurations.
“This is a long-term project to be rolled out steadily for at least the next five years, and which will see commercial activity growing and shifting to the district,” says Hutcheson.
She says Kaipara District Council’s A Bright Future long-term planning report, published earlier this year, identified Mangawhai as the fastest growing town in the region, with the population increasing by about 3000 residents over the coming 10 years, and annual peak-holiday season numbers skyrocketing by 8000 within the same time-span.
“The business infrastructure at Mangawhai Central is being designed to accommodate that population growth — as well as servicing the needs of residents at Lang’s Beach and Waipu to the north; and Wellsford and Kaiwaka to the west,” Hutcheson says. The sections now being marketed for sale are:
● Lot 1 of 7594sq m — drafted to house a 627sq m childcare facility, and a 156sq m cafe;
● Lot 15 of 10,200sq m — drafted to accommodate a bulk retail premises of around 2475sq m supported by parking for 120 vehicles and separate delivery truck access;
● Lot 18 of 3491sq m — drafted to contain a full-scale 300sq m service station with access to and from the existing Molesworth Drive; and
● 13 individual lots allocated for light industrial premises on landholdings ranging from 2235sq m to
4450sq m.
Napier says the commercial component of Mangawhai Central will deliver desperately needed industrial and retail premises that local businesses have been asking for.
“With the commercial hubs at both Mangawhai Heads and Mangawhai village relatively constrained by a lack of available land, Mangawhai Central will alleviate growth-pressure by offering new commercial premises and amenities in a greenfield location that is being planned — not just for the next five or 10 years — but for the next
30 years-plus,” he says.
The project planning and subdivision is being undertaken by Auckland-based and privately owned New Zealand company Viranda Partners which property manages around
400 buildings nationally — along with having substantial investments in real estate development.
Other development projects by Viranda include the $150m subdivision and selldown of 520 residential sections in South Auckland’s Flat Bush; and the $90m subdivision and selldown of 150 residential sections at Homestead Bay near Queenstown.