Andrew Caughey, chairman of the trust which owns the Caughey Preston Rest Home, announces the sale of the property at 17 Upland Rd in Remuera. Video / Michael Craig
A multimillion-dollar retirement village is being planned for a $90 million Remuera site, according to an organiser of a newly formed neighbourhood group.
Grant Dickson, owner and licensee agent of Upland Realty, said the group had been formed to take a close interest in the development of the 3.1ha formerCaughey Preston rest-home site.
It represents owners of around 30 homes adjoining the site with addresses on Ventnor Rd, Lucerne Rd and Upland Rd.
The former rest-home property is valued at around $90m although its sale price was reported last year to be in the $65m to $70m range.
Dickson met the project manager for the new village mid-winter and said work being planned there would be substantial.
That manager is working for the site's new owner and Dickson said he understood buildings would rise up to four levels at the centre.
"No owner/operator has yet been appointed. We want to ensure the community monitors the project. The new owner is working on plans for demolition of existing buildings on the site which they don't need a resource consent for, to take structures down to floor plate level," he said.
Grant Dickson is a member of the new group watching the development. Photo / Jason Oxenham
"There will be a significant amount of building on the site compared to what is there now. The group is concerned about noise, dust and any possible asbestos issues on the site. Our major concern would be any long-term damage to neighbouring homes," Dickson said.
Traffic management during demolition and building phases will also be "super-important" to locals, he said. The group's first meeting is planned to be at Dickson's home on Upland Rd tomorrow at 5pm.
"We have concerns about stormwater and wastewater, with the number of units proposed. We're looking forward to seeing the plans so that we can work with the developer," Dickson said.
"We don't want this to be a confrontational process. We see a retirement village as an important part of our community. We're delighted aged care will remain on the site."
In 2017, the Herald reported how the operation on the site would shut, meaning more than 100 residents needed to find new homes.
The Herald reported in March how migrants from China who donated to victims of the Canterbury earthquakes and the National Party owned the property.
The couple are also acquaintances of National Party president Peter Goodfellow, who laid the foundation stone for their commercial building in China - New Zealand Tower.
Property records show New Zealand-registered company HND Upland bought the now-vacant rest home a block down from Remuera Rd, with wide access off Ventnor Rd.
The Bank of China has a mortgage registered over that prime real estate, the title shows.
The transfer occurred last October and the vendor was the Marianne Caughey Smith-Preston Memorial Rest Homes Trust Board.
The Caughey Preston rest home. Photo / Doug Sherring
HND Upland's directors are Yaxun Zhang and Xiaomiao Fan, of Scott Rd, Hobsonville.
They registered their company last April as a land development and subdivision business.
The couple left China some years ago, live at Hobsonville, own other properties here and have shown a benevolent streak, particularly towards the National Party.
HND Upland is wholly owned by Z & F International Trading whose sole director is Yaxun Zhang, previously linked to charitable earthquake and National Party donations.
In 2011, the Herald reported how Yaxun Zhang, a member of the Henan Chamber of Commerce, offered a $100,000 donation to the Christchurch earthquake appeal.
At that time, the businessman's donations were discussed via China-born former member of Parliament Raymond Huo.
