Buyers pounce for new industrial units in upmarket Hobsonville development
Verifying the unprecedented demand for quality industrial and commercial property in the Auckland region, more than half the units in a yet-to-be-built 15-unit industrial development in Hobsonville are either under contract or sold, just weeks after being launched on the market.
The unit-titled development at 88 Hobsonville Rd is aimed at both owner-occupiers and investors and will offer architect-designed, highspecification warehouse and office space in a landscaped, corporate environment.
The units range from 288 to 633 sq m and offer good warehouse-to-office ratios, high stud heights and allocated parking. Occupation is expected mid-2022.
Auckland-based developer Waide Construction is behind the development, having recently completed numerous apartment and commercial projects around the region including a design-build warehouse and headquarters for Sherratt Ingredients on the corner of Workspace Drive and Dowdens Lane in Hobsonville.
BSW Architects has designed the new complex which will have a strong profile to Hobsonville Rd and a stylish corporate feel.
Mark Preston and Sam Raines of Bayleys Central West Auckland are marketing the units off the plans, with units individually priced starting at $1,612,000, with a 10 per cent deposit to be paid in two phased instalments.
As businesses come to terms with the postpandemic economic and trading landscape, Preston said the demand-supply squeeze for well-located, superior quality industrial space shows no signs of abating.
“It’s definitely a ‘build-it-and-they’ll-come’ situation Auckland-wide and frankly, there just isn’t enough existing or planned stock to keep everyone happy,” he said.
“The fact that two of the units in this Hobsonville development have already sold, with a further six under contract and due to confirm, shows the resilience of the market and buyers’ capacity for pre-committing a year or so out from occupation, giving them time to get their
business ducks in a row.
“That reflects a confident market and we’re seeing demand from owner-occupiers wishing to proactively secure their own asset taking advantage of low interest rates, along with investors who are buoyed by the strength of the leasing market.”
The site is zoned Light Industry and Raines said the configuration and location of the development will hit the spot with a range of business operators requiring space for showroom, distribution, offices, trade retail, tradesperson premises or ecommerce storage and distribution functions.
“With so much residential growth in the broader Hobsonville precinct, these units give options to business owners looking to work close to home, or to leverage their individual business models off the expanding population catchment,” he said.
“We’re fielding significant enquiry from tenants on the North Shore desperate to find new premises, as there’s virtually no vacancy in the North Shore market currently.
“The Hobsonville location is super-handy to Westgate, and is just one minute away from the State Highway 16 exit, which streamlines movement to the port, airport and CBD.”
The two-level units have been functionallydesigned with a proven footprint that is adaptable across business types.
With high-stud tilt slab construction, the units will feature full height glazing, open floor plans, cantilevered level one office space with 2.7m ceiling heights, clear span warehouse space, oversized roller doors and quality amenities including kitchenettes on the first floor.
Exterior finishes include concrete pre-cast walls, profiled metal cladding and powdercoated aluminium joinery, and the site will be landscaped. Full drive-around access from Hobsonville Rd will allow for easy truck movements and each unit will have allocated parking space.