New projects worth $29m for Akl Airport

Auckland Airport. Photo / Martin Sykes

New commercial property projects worth $29 million have been confirmed for the business district at Auckland Airport.

The four projects include a centre to support food manufacturers to develop and test products for commercialisation, a tourism training facility, a commercial office building, and an office and warehouse facility.

Auckland Airport today said the four projects took the value of property development it had generated in the business district in the past year - either being built or committed - to $115m.

Airport chief executive Simon Moutter said the activity meant the airport business district was among the most intensive commercial property development programmes in New Zealand.

The reinvigoration of commercial property development activity in the past year was consistent with its growth strategy, to make the most of its assets and shift resourcing into areas where accelerated growth could be achieved, the airport said.

Airport general manager property Peter Alexander said the airport intended to develop the business district to match such airports as Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul and Dubai in acting as a hive of economic activity.

Businesses were seeing the airport business district as the best place to locate, saids Alexander.

"We believe Auckland Airport has a pivotal part to play in helping Auckland realise its long-term ambitions as a global city, and our property development activity will play a role in that."

The four new projects included a food innovation centre with New Zealand Food Innovation Manukau.

The 2000sq m export certified plant would support food manufacturers to develop and test products for commercialisation, specifically for the fast moving consumer goods market. The initiative was supported by the Ministry of Economic Development and was expected to act as a magnet tenant for associated food businesses, the airport said.

A facility for private training provider Travel Careers & Training to be used for airline, travel and tourism training.

Architects Jasmax are designing another of the new projects - a commercial office building of about 4900sq m, with the airport to take up 1800sq m of the space for corporate office needs, freeing up space in the international terminal for which strong demand had already been signalled.

Also just confirmed is a 3600sq m office and warehouse facility for warehousing, transportation and freight forwarding company DSV Air & Sea.

The four latest developments followed the announcement of projects such as Novotel and Formule 1 hotels, relocation of the parts warehouse of luxury global car brand Mercedes, and an office building pre-leased to a government tenant.

- NZPA