Two big sites ready for take-off at Hobsonville
The final two remaining freehold development sites of scale in the thriving Auckland suburb of Hobsonville Point are for sale.
Totalling nearly 30,000sq m, the neighbouring sites will provide developers with the opportunity to acquire a major landholding to create a large-scale project.
The sites, which are available for purchase as a single parcel, are zoned Residential–Mixed Housing Urban under the Auckland Unitary Plan.
■ 6A Launch Rd measures 13,985sq m and includes the historic Wasp hangar building that housed the RNZAF’s Wasp helicopter fleet between the 1950s and 1990s.
As part of any sales and purchase agreement, this building is to be retained and integrated into any future development.
■ 6B Launch Rd spans 15,988sq m and the site is home to an existing building that will be removed to allow for development.
The master-planned Hobsonville Point community will eventually house over 11,000 residents in more than 4500 dwellings.
There is already over 26ha of parks and reserves that complement two schools and an early childcare centre, making for an environmentally focused and family friendly location.
Nearby Catalina Bay, an award-winning development, is a people-centric waterfront space that offers visitors and locals access to a farmers’ market, microbrewery, cafes, restaurants and offices.
Colliers directors Josh Coburn, Blair Peterken and James Appleby are marketing the sites and are taking expressions of interest with a closing date of 4pm, Thursday May 16, unless sold prior.
Coburn, director of capital markets and site sales at Colliers, says vendors Eke Panuku, the property development arm of Auckland Council, are keen to partner with a purchaser that will create a development that builds upon the character and qualities of the existing buildings at Hobsonville Point.
“Launch Rd is one of the main roads that connects Hobsonville Point to the Catalina Bay precinct and the harbour. It is part of the main spine of the area and is highly visible,” Coburn says.
“The planning provisions and physical qualities of the Wasp hangar provide a unique opportunity to make this building a central feature of Hobsonville Point and could contribute to local employment.”
“The location of the sites means they’re five minutes from the centre of Hobsonville and only 10 minutes from Westgate and North West shopping centres.”
Further transport infrastructure investment in the surrounding area has improved connectivity to Auckland Airport and the CBD. There is also a ferry for commuters.
Peterken, director of capital markets at Colliers, says a continued need for housing in Auckland will likely fuel demand for future dwellings in this location.
“Data from Stats NZ notes that net migration in the year to December 2023 was 126,000 people and Auckland will be a likely destination for them to settle, given the employment opportunities and established migrant networks in the city,” Peterken says.
He points out that feedback on the existing development of Hobsonville Point has been incredibly positive.
One survey noted that 93 per cent of residents believe the area is ‘a great place to live’, while the occupants also use less water and energy than average Aucklanders.
Appleby, director at Colliers West Auckland, says the zoning will be appealing. It is sought-after among developers for its flexibility and focus on intensity of development.
“As noted in the Auckland Unitary Plan, over time, the appearance of neighbourhoods within this zone will change, with development typically up to three storeys in a variety of sizes and forms, including detached dwellings, terrace housing and low-rise apartments,” Appleby says.
“Hobsonville Point is an in-demand location where the locals love the access to reserves and parks and coastal walkways on top of the other amenities in the area,” he says.