A $400 million-plus intensification of the North Shore’s Devonport town centre has been submitted for fast-track approval. Photo / Brett Phibbs
A $400 million-plus intensification of the North Shore’s Devonport town centre has been submitted for fast-track approval. Photo / Brett Phibbs
A $400 million-plus intensification of the North Shore’s Devonport town centre has been submitted for fast-track approval under the Government’s new law, ministerial documents show.
The Ministry for the Environment assessment of the Devonport town centre urban regeneration application provided the first in-depth details about plans bylandowners Berridge Spencer, Mark Hiddleston and Graham Turley via their Peninsula Capital.
“The development has a value in excess of circa $400m, resulting from a significant increase in commercial, retail and residential floor area including optimising the capacity of the area through the development of existing under-utilised land while maintaining the character of Devonport,” the ministry document said.
Berridge Spencer (left). Photo / Tania Webb
In 2023, Spencer - son of the late John Spencer, once New Zealand’s richest man - and his two associates announced via Peninsula that they bought many village properties. Records showed those were valued at $40m-plus.
Spencer is heir to the paper-manufacturing Caxton fortune and Hiddleston and Turley are ex-ANZ chiefs.
Last month, the Fast-track Approvals Bill passed its final reading in Parliament as one of the final items left on the Government’s fourth-quarter action plan and one of the core components of the coalition’s plan to speed up infrastructure development in New Zealand.
The proposal received significant criticism from environmental activists who believe it rode roughshod over protections.
A map showing how much of Devonport will be changed under the $400m+ scheme. Photo / Ministry for the Environment
A new map showed where the developers’ land is within the village. Properties front on to Victoria Rd, Clarence St, Wynyard St and behind Anne St.
The assessment said the application was for a master planned town centre, resulting in intensified urban housing and commercial regeneration on more than half a hectare.
The project on 6026sq m is planned to bring new urban housing, offices and shops to enhance the economic vibrancy of the local community, the ministry document said.
New buildings are planned as well as the integration, enhancement and adaptive re-use of many listed heritage buildings for intensified urban living, the ministry document said.
The applicant had provided enough information so the project could be assessed under the fast-track law and had been identified as a priority project.
Ex-Westpac on the corner (grey roof) with other buildings the company is buyinig to the left. Photo / supplied
“The project will increase the supply of housing within the Devonport town centre. Currently there are very few housing opporunities,” the ministry document said.
“The project will address this by significantly increasing the number of dwellings within the town centre above the existing 13 dwellings.”
Initial master planning indicated about 103 dwellings.
The scheme had the potential to provide 18,000sq m of floor area, to accommodate 277 to 421 full-time equivalent jobs, an increase of 119 to 170 over today’s.
This offered permanent employment options for residents and support for retail and hospitality businesses, the document said.
The village has a library, hall and parking spaces which could be complemented by rejuvenated shops, food and beverage outlets, offices and other commercial services.
Mike Hiddleston outside the strip of buildings within the $400m+ redevelopment and adaptive re-use plans.
The fast-tracking application came from planner Vijay Lala, of consultants Tattico, and said landowners were Devonport Property Management via Devonport Property CP Wynyard, Devonport Property CPV, Devonport Property MPV and Devonport Property MP Clarence.
A master planned town centre urban regeneration project would also deliver tourism benefits, including new and refurbished heritage buildings, the Tattico application said.
It would also promote public transport usage due to increased development intensity adjacent to existing public transport networks.
Winning fast-track consenting meant it could start in 2025, reduce approval timeframes and costs associated with resource consenting for a five-stage project, Tattico said.
Buildings the developers own on Devonport's main street, where plans have gone into the ministry for assessment.
The owners had engaged consultants Cheshire Architects, Archifact, McIndoe Urban, Boffa Miskell and Tattico.
They were experienced in major urban renewal projects, Tattico said.
The project would happen over five to 10 years and it was hoped programming would be completed this July, Tattico said.
Heritage buildings were a focus.
“The applicant has engaged a heritage architect and several architects to provide advice and expertise on heritage and character matters,” Tattico said.
“This will ensure that the design outcomes will be respectful and complementary to the important heritage and character values of the project area and immediate locality.”
Tattico said Market Economics assessed the benefits of the project as:
Sustaining employment equivalent or up to 2948 full-time equivalents [FTE’s] across the region.
Initial high-level forecasting indicated the potential to provide about 18,000sq m of floor area, with potential to accommodate between 277 and 421 FTE’s, an increase of between 119 and 170 FTE’s over today’s total.
Permanent employment options for residents and support for retail and hospitality businesses.
A value of about $400m, resulting from an increase in commercial, retail and residential floor area including optimising the capacity of the area through development of underutilised land while maintaining the character of Devonport.
In 2023, the Herald reported how Peninsula had bought the ex-Devonport Borough Council building at 3 Victoria Rd from the council’s Eke Panuku agency.
Most sites to be developed are bounded by the main street, Victoria Rd. Many also front Wynyard St - which runs parallel to that - and a side street of retail premises, cafes and bars on Clarence St.
The properties within the scheme, with 2021 council valuations, include:
3 Victoria Rd, an ex-Devonport Borough Council building bought from Eke Panuku, with a 2021 valuation of $3.4m;
5-15 Victoria Rd, with shops, cafes, The Devonport Public House bar, Jack Scott Arcade, a former stationery store now empty, BookMark second-hand books. Upstairs tenancies include apartments and dentist Geoff Lee. Total valued at $11.7m.
17-19 Victoria Rd, Devonport Arts and Gifts and Catch 22 takeaways, $3.3m;
21 Victoria Rd, ex-ASB Bank, vacant shop, $2.9m;
23-25 Victoria Rd, Blue Illusion and Annah Stretton, $3.45m;
24 Victoria Rd, Signal Hill bar and restaurant $2.8m;
33 Victoria Rd, Devonport Pharmacy, $4.9m;
41 Victoria Rd, empty, previously a cafe and bar, $1.9m;
43 Victoria Rd, Ray White, $1.47m;
45 Victoria Rd, ex-Westpac premises, corner of Clarence St, $2.8m;
1-3 Wynyard St, Wynyard Street Motors, valued at $2.85m;
