Ready for takeoff at Whenuapai
A substantial development site of 80,541sq m between the high-growth metropolitan areas of Westgate and Hobsonville is positioned to support Auckland’s growth challenges, experts say.
Located in the developing area of Whenuapai, along Auckland’s northwestern corridor, the property at 96 and 96A Trig Rd is currently zoned Future Urban but has been identified for rezoning as Business–Light Industrial.
Wesley Gerber, Bayleys associate director of development land sales, says the property represents a substantial opportunity for investors to benefit from expanding local centres as they become key growth nodes.
“Despite reserving some 15,000ha for urbanisation across the region, Auckland Council faces significant challenges exacerbated by the pandemic, particularly around funding for vital infrastructure,” he says.
“This is impacting the transition of Future Urban zoned locations, including 351ha in Whenuapai, which formed Stage 1 of the PC5 Whenuapai Plan Change.
“While Council representatives say rezoning at such a large scale is no longer achievable, they remain committed to supporting Whenuapai as a focus area for development and have indicated a preference for partnership with developers and the private sector to progress private plan changes.
“This presents an opportunity for the new purchaser to work with council by developing the site to answer some of the region’s key growth challenges.”
Gerber says that broad funding constraints are poised to impact the region’s 30-year supply of land earmarked for urbanisation.
However, the council will likely give priority to locations where work is already under way.
“To date, they have invested heavily in the northwest corridor including planning, investigations, public consultation and land acquisition, and Whenuapai remains the logical space for urban spread given its natural boundary with Auckland’s urban limits.
“While a structured plan has identified the locale will deliver between 10,500 and 12,000 dwellings and circa 8600 jobs over the next two decades, Whenuapai is also the closest tract of Future Urban zoned land to Auckland’s CBD.”
Gerber is marketing the property for sale by tender, closing at 4pm on Wednesday, 2 November. It will not be sold prior.
Located between the major arterial intersection of Trig and Brigham Creek roads, the main gateway between the SH16 and SH18 motorway interchanges, the property is in a prime position to benefit from passing traffic between the North Shore and northwest suburbs.
“The combined size of the flat site allows for many future activities, including single-site use, design and build concepts, or could be a suitable new premises for operators in the manufacturing, production, logistics, storage or transport, and distribution sectors.”
Gerber says Auckland’s northwest corridor is undergoing a $1 billion transformation encompassing housing, trade and retail, public amenities, schooling, and significant transport upgrades.
At the same time, Auckland continues to experience near-record-low vacancy rates for industrial accommodation.