Offers to buy a prime development site in the heart of Mount Maunganui will be considered by the Tauranga City Council today.
The 8100 sq m council-owned property on Maunganui Rd was currently the head office of kiwifruit marketing company Zespri and former offices of the Mount Maunganui Borough Council.
Mayor Stuart Crosby said the offers would be discussed in confidential, with a public announcement on the successful tenderer and sale price not expected until all the parties to the process had been notified.
Multiple offers were received for the property that was marketed from September 2 to October 1.
If the site is redeveloped, the successful buyer would have the flexibility to shift the location of the 3500 sq m public park from the eastern end of the site to a new position next to the Mount Plunket Preschool.
Among today's decisions was a resolution to confirm the sale of the land in order to begin transactions with the successful bidder.
The land was offered for sale by private treaty. Marketing material said the new owner would have the opportunity to comprehensively redevelop the site from the expiry of the Zespri lease in three to four years. The lease returned income of $525,000 a year.
"Rarely does such a substantial development site become available in the heart of beach side Mount Maunganui," Colliers said in its marketing material.
It said the site was suitable for a multitude of uses from high density residential to commercial such as retail and offices.
A public consultation process on the proposal to sell the whole site including the Mount Library saw the council opt to retain the parkland, preschool and library.
Proceeds from the sale, expected to exceed $3 million, will be used to reduce Tauranga's civic debt. Some of the money could also be used to fund improvements to the library which will be considered in the 2016-17 annual plan.