Saint Kent’s Remuera Rd site
With a new girls’ school and preschool to open on the Saint Kentigern Shore Rd campus — in 2022, and
2023 respectively — the substantial elevated site they now occupy, at the corner of Remuera and Ranui Roads, has been placed on the market for sale.
The Saint Kentigern Trust Board has appointed Colliers International to market the 12,496sq m freehold site by international expressions of interest. And Colliers agents are saying that this opens up the opportunity of a lifetime for developers.
“The sale offers astute developers or owner-occupiers an unprecedented opportunity to purchase this large, high-profile landholding in the heart of Remuera,” points out capital markets director, Blair Peterken.
“A new owner could repurpose or completely redevelop the site, which is superbly positioned on Remuera’s sought-after northern slopes.
“With two street frontages and a large footprint spanning five freehold titles, the redevelopment opportunities are broad and exciting.”
Site sales director, Josh Coburn, says the shape and location of the site – at 1 and 3 Ranui Rd, and 506-514,
514A and 518 Remuera Rd – allow for a multitude of redevelopment options.
“The property comprises a large, north-facing block that extends north from the eastern corner of Ranui and Remuera Roads.”
The site is in a highly visible location due to its corner profile and extensive street frontage to both roads, the latter of which is Remuera’s main arterial.
“It offers stunning views thanks to its elevated position and gentle contour, which falls moderately to the north.
“Being on a ridgeline, views would increase with successive floors.
“From the second floor, the northern views over the city skyline would become more expansive, taking in Hobson Bay, the inner Waitemata Harbour, and Devonport and North Head in the distance. From the fourth floor and above, the property would also offer views to the south, taking in the Ellerslie Racecourse and the leafy suburbs beyond.”
The property is zoned Special Purpose School, which would require a plan change for other uses. National director of capital markets, Peter Herdson, says parties could consider residential, retirement, private hospital or educational uses.
“We’re encouraging parties to pursue a vision for the site befitting its unique size and contour, its affluent neighbourhood, and its underlying land value, while also being aware that an opportunity like this may never become available again.”
Any rezoning of the site would need to take account of the local environment, which is typified by terrace and apartment buildings, single dwellings, and special character housing.
Herdson says an owner could potentially incorporate the current buildings into their plans for the site.
“While a residential redevelopment would require a comprehensive master plan, there’s scope for a retirement, private hospital or educational redevelopment to make use of the extensive improvements in place.”
The site is reasonably intensive in coverage, with many and varying buildings dispersed about the property including a series of classrooms along the Ranui Rd frontage, science and technology blocks, the preschool, a two-level villa and an assembly hall.
The buildings range in age from the original homestead in the centre of the site, built some 90 years ago, to the art block, constructed in 2001. None of the buildings are heritage listed.
Recreational facilities at the north of the site include a large swimming pool with changing sheds, a tennis court and open spaces.
Remuera is considered one of New Zealand’s most prestigious places to live, and in 2018 had a median house price of $1.7 million.
The Auckland director of investment sales, Gareth Fraser, says the suburb is in the coveted Double Grammar Zone, and as well as being close to Saint Kentigern Boys’ School, the new Saint Kentigern Girls’ School and Preschool.
It is also near other independent schools including Baradene, St Cuthbert’s, Diocesan, King’s School and Dilworth.
“This suburb has multiple cafes, restaurants and boutique retailers; it is serviced by supermarkets in Remuera, Greenlane and Meadowbank. What will soon be the largest Westfield Shopping Centre in the Southern Hemisphere is nearby.”
Fraser says the suburb enjoys good transport links, with easy access to main routes north and south. It is serviced by multiple bus routes along Remuera Rd and train stations at Greenlane, Remuera and Orakei.
● Viewing times will be outside school hours with no billboards erected on the school’s boundaries.
The girl students will remain at the site until they move to their new school in 2022, and the pre-schoolers until the end of 2022.
Based on these time frames, the board requires occupation of the entire site until mid-2022, and further partial occupancy of the preschool at the site until early 2023.
The board will consider all expressions of interest, with offers due by 4pm NZT on Wednesday, March 27.