Singaporean listed business GYP Properties master-plans 500+new Auckland homes

GYPP is master-planning the scheme, shown here in plans. Photo / Supplied

A listed Singaporean-headquartered business which owns an Auckland mall is master-planning a new 500-residence housing estate.

GYP Properties owns the Pakuranga Plaza where it is yet to proceed with $500 million plans announced five years ago.

But yesterday it told the Singapore Stock Exchange it would develop a new residential subdivision on the ex-Papakura Golf Course in Auckland.

Stanley Tan, GYPP chief executive, said the business was master-planning Bellfield Estate, to have more than 500 new homes on 22ha and integrate with neighbouring Opaheke Park.

Stage One will be three and four-bedroom stand-alone homes and two and three-bedroom townhouses, all built in brick, weatherboard, aluminium joinery and metal roofing.

GYPP has offices here and in Singapore and has a portfolio of 303,051sq m of land, owning shops, offices and homes.

"Our key projects in New Zealand include Remarkables Residences in Queenstown as well as Bellfield Estate and Pakuranga Precinct in Auckland. The group was listed on the Singapore Exchange in 2004, and is a member of the Singapore Green Building Council," the business said.

GYPP plans to enhance the neighbouring park as part of the development, working with Auckland Council and the Papakura Local Board.

The plan involves creating a range of passive and active features, including walking and running tracks, fitness stations, play areas, boardwalks, gardens and fields.

A previous plan to develop the land for housing by former owners did not proceed, reportedly due to a 999-year restriction which says it can be used only as a golf course.

But a GYPP spokesperson said some houses were already being built on the land and plans were progressing for Pakuranga Plaza.

"The Ameti Eastern Busway has opened a display at the plaza to show where the busway will go through the area. GYP Properties can now finalise redevelopment design over coming months," the spokesperson in Auckland said.

In 2015, plans were unveiled for that mall to become a new urban village with a hotel, conference centre, community facilities, apartments, offices and more shops in a $500 million upgrade.

Mah Bow Tan, chairman of the plaza's Singaporean-headquartered owner GYP Properties, said a grand scheme to transform the mall, including developing publicly owned land around it.

"The proposed development would see over $500 million invested in Pakuranga and the proposed retail and commercial properties would house over 1300 people working in the facilities on a daily basis," his company said in 2015.

Plans are for 1ha of new office space, and up to 6ha or 60,000sq m of new retail, service, food and beverage, entertainment, hotel, conference and community space including a library with a civic plaza and public open spaces, It announced then.